The Unexpected-A Legend of Zelda Fanfiction
by LoZfan86
Summary: Newlyweds Link and Zelda are just starting out and beginning to enjoy married life, when all of a sudden, the unexpected happens. Now Ganondorf is on the search for a new power that he believes can destroy Hyrule forever. The fate of the kingdom rests in our valiant hero's hands...FINISHED! :)
1. Chapter 1

The springtime air in the kingdom of Hyrule was light and sweet-smelling. The sun shone bright in the sky. Apple blossoms fluttered in the gentle breeze, and were carried along slowly. The birds were singing their sweet songs of love and happiness. It was the perfect day for a wedding.

Link's heart pounded inside his chest as he stood at the front of the church, his palms sweaty from his nervousness. _This is the biggest moment of my life so far_, he thought to himself. He was wearing his best white tunic, made by his good friend Illia. She was sitting in the front row of the chapel, giving him encouraging smiles and the occasional thumbs up. Link smiled back at her, a twinkle in his sea blue eyes. As he stood, looking towards the back of the church, he noticed his beloved horse, Epona, was watching the affair through one of the windows. This made Link chuckle, and his butterflies immediately vanished.

The church doors opened then, and there she was. The princess of Hyrule was dressed in a beautiful white gown, trimmed with lace and lavished with pink rosettes. She truly was a vision, the most beautiful in all the land. Link felt quite lucky to be marrying her. She was his soul mate, and today they would finally be wed.

Zelda approached the front of the church slowly and gracefully, as Impa, her childhood governess, escourted her up the aisle. Zelda's veil was all lace, and her face could barely be seen through it. Likewise, she could hardly see where she was going. She held tight onto Impa's arm as they made their way to the front. She held a bouquet of pink roses, to match her dress. Walking up the aisle seemed like an eternity to her, and when she finally got to the front, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"We are gathered here today," the minister began. "to join these two hearts in the bond of holy matrimony."

Link turned towards Zelda and removed her veil. Her face was of an angel, with alabastor skin and eyes so blue you could see the sky in them. Her light brown hair glimmered in the afternoon light that shined throught the stained glass windows. She smiled at him, sincere love in her eyes.

"Link, do you take Zelda to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?"

Link gazed at his bride-to-be lovingly. "I do," he said proudly.

"Zelda, do you take Link to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, til death do you part?"

"I do," Zelda said dreamily, looking into Link's eyes.

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Link didn't waste any time. He planted a kiss on Zelda so quick that she barely had time to react. But she didn't mind. She gave him as much as he'd given her. Their lips stayed locked for several seconds. The crowd cheered and applauded with great enthusiasm. The couple turned to face the congregation, both smiling and holding each other's hand. They walked down the aisle happily. When they got to the doors, Epona was waiting for them. She was wearing a white satin saddle with matching reins. Link figured this had to be the work of Illia.

Illia came rushing out the church doors after them. "I thought you two might want to take a ride after the ceremony," she said in a voice that hinted the two of them should be alone.

"Great idea, Illia," Link said. "Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you, Illia," Zelda said admirably. "I owe so much to you."

"Don't mention it, guys. Now go on. Get outta here!" Illia laughed.

"Hiyah!" Link yelled to Epona, and they were off, galloping into the late afternoon sun.

After evening fell upon the newlyweds, they stopped by a peaceful stream in a quiet forest just outside the Castle of Hyrule's walls. Link helped Zelda dismount Epona, then he carried her off near the banks of the water.

"Aren't you a gentleman," Zelda chided playfully. Her arms were tight around him. He put her down gently alongside the water. Link sat down next to her, putting his arm around her waist.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" He asked her, smiling broadly.

"What kind of a question is that?" Zelda asked, her mouth curling up into a smile as well.

"I'll answer for you. A lot," Link said.

"Well, do you have a clue how much _I_ love _you_?" Zelda asked him.

Link was just about to respond, when suddenly, she pushed him down on his back and climbed on top of him.

"I love you this much," she whispered into his hear. She gave him a heated kiss, and he threw his arms around her. He raised a hand above her head so he could stroke her hair.

"Let's have some fun now, shall we?" Zelda smiled playfully.

Link started undoing the buttons on his tunic and Zelda began unzipping her dress. In a few moments, they were completely as nature had made them. They resumed kissing. Link felt absolutely perfect, like nothing in the world could compare to this. He was on top of the world, or rather, his wife, but he still felt great. After they had finished, Link and Zelda laid next to each other underneath the moonlight, gazing into each other's eyes and hoping for a wonderful tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Link and Zelda arrived back at the castle that night close to midnight. They were exhausted and in need of sleep. Epona was tired too, it seemed, because the whole way back she was panting and trying to catch her breath. The guards at the castle door smiled at them as they approached, and opened the large stone gate. They rode through the courtyard towards the stables, where they dismounted Epona, and Link put her away for the night.

"And now," Link began. "we spend our very first night together."

Zelda smiled lovingly at him. "I can't wait."

The two of them entered the castle doors and ascended the massive stairway. Zelda's chamber was on the very top floor.

"Shall I carry you up?" Link asked her kindly. "You look beat."

"I'm fine. I'll walk myself," she answered him. "You need your rest too."

"Alright, alright," Link said. He knew when he'd lost an argument.

When the couple finally reached the top of the stairs, Zelda took Link's hand and led him down the hall to her bedroom. Link wasn't sure why, because he knew where her bedroom was. He'd been in it before, back when the two were just friends, and he'd returned her to the kingdom from the clutches of the evil Ganondorf. But he let her lead him anyway, figuring she was just excited. She stopped in front of the door to her room at the end of the corridor, and placed her free hand on the knob, turning it ever so slowly.

"Zelda!" Link whined, getting impatient.

"I'm just kidding," Zelda teased. She opened the door and led him inside.

The room looked different to Link now for some reason. He knew it hadn't changed, but it felt different. It was no longer just Zelda's room. It was _their_ room. The place they would sleep together each and every night.

"Wow," Link said in awe. "I still can't believe that this is happening." He walked inside towards Zelda's chest of drawers. He gazed upon her little porcelain figurines that sat upon it.

"I suppose I'm going to need to make room for you in here now," Zelda said as she turned down the sheets in her bed. She made her way over to a large armoire, which held several of her best dresses and nightgowns. She picked out the prettiest nightgown she had, and brought it over to the bed. She began taking off her wedding dress again. "Can you unzip me?" she asked link.

"You didn't need any help doing that at the river," Link implied curiously.

"I know," Zelda said mischievously.

Link made his way over to her, and gently placed his left hand on the small of her back, while his other hand unzipped her dress. When it was completely unzipped, Zelda scooted out of the heavy dress and grabbed her nightgown off the bed. The nightgown was a light shade of blue, with lace trim around the wide neckline and the bottom of the skirt. The long sleeves were cinched at the elbows then flowed the rest of the way down her arms.

"It's beautiful," Link said amazed. "The wearer of it is beautiful too."

Zelda slipped on the nightgown and sat down on the bed. She looked at Link and patted the other side seductively. "Are you coming?" she asked.

"I need to get my nightclothes on," he said, pulling his tunic off, revealing his bare chest, which was well muscled, Zelda now noticed. After link had taken off his shirt, he looked down at the floor. "I didn't exactly bring a night shirt with me," he said, a little embarrassed for not bringing clothes along with him for the move into the castle.

"That's alright," Zelda said. "Sleep like that for now, and then tomorrow I'm sure Illia would be glad to bring you your clothes from your old house."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind. And actually, I heard that she's applying to be your lady's maid," Link told her.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Zelda said happily. "She's such a lovely young lady. And she's so hardworking. I've never seen anyone like her."

Link coughed into his hand. "Except…"

Zelda realized her error then. "Except you, of course," she smiled.

"That's what I thought," Link laughed, then sat down on the other side of the bed. He crawled into the sheets and lied down. Zelda did also, scooting over towards Link and wrapping her arms around him. She rested her head gently on his bare chest and immediately drifted off to sleep. Link looked down at his wife. She was so beautiful as she slept, her deep and calm breathing soothed Link. Suddenly, he saw the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom glowing on Zelda's hand. He looked at his own hand, and noticed his own Triforce of Courage was glowing too. Link remembered that he had read in a book once, that if the Bearers of two different kinds of Triforces were to become one, then the perfect match would be made, and the symbols imprinted on their hands would glow. He looked out the window then, at the dark night sky filled with trillions of stars. He sighed deeply, and smiled at them. "I'll thank my lucky stars every day," he whispered, then drifted off into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

When Link awoke the next morning, the sun was just peeking over the horizon. He realized that he was alone in the bed. He sat up slowly, looking around the room for Zelda, but she was nowhere in sight. Then he looked down at Zelda's pillow and noticed there was a note on it. Link immediately recognized Zelda's script handwriting. _I've gone to the marketplace. I will be back soon. Love, Zelda. _Link wondered what sort of business she had in the marketplace this early in the morning. He got out of bed slowly, groaning from his short night's sleep. He made his way over to the dresser, where he found some of his clothes sitting on top of it. "Illia must have brought these," he said aloud to himself. He grabbed his green tunic, brown belt, and green cap off of the dresser and changed into them.

After Link was dressed, there was a knock on the door. "Hello?" a high-pitched, squeaky voice asked from the other side. "Are you awake, Link?"

"Yes, who calls?" Link asked, confused.

"May I come in? It's me, Spryte. I'm one of the castle servants," the voice answered.

Link opened the door and let her in. A little fairy floated in the air in front of him. She had bright green eyes, and sandy brown hair. She wore a short pink dress with no extravagant detail. She carried a silver tray in her hands. On the tray was a roll of bread, two eggs, and a glass of milk.

"I've come to bring you your breakfast, Your Highness," Spryte said.

Link looked at her with a bewildered expression on his face. "Who? Oh, you mean me," he said, embarrassed. He still wasn't quite used to being royalty. "Um, yes. Thank you very much." He said, taking the tray from her.

"Whew!" Spryte breathed a sigh of relief. "That tray was heavy! Please enjoy, Link, and if you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask." Spryte smiled at him, and then she left the room.

Link set the tray down on the bedside table. He would eat it a little later, he thought. He had decided he was going to take a walk in the courtyard. He left their bedroom and walked down the long corridor to the stairs. From the top of the stairs, he saw Illia being talked to by one of the older, more experienced servants. He figured she was doing an interview for the job position.

"What makes you qualified for this post?" The older servant asked. She seemed to have a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"I'm very neat about the things I do. And I'm also very hardworking," Illia answered proudly. "And I simply adore the princess. She's like a sister to me."

Link hurried down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he strode over to where the two were standing. "If I may say something here," he began. "I've known Illia for a long time. She's a personal friend of mine. We grew up together. I know how great of a worker she is, and I trust her. I think she's the perfect person for this position."

Illia smiled at Link. She looked at the older woman hopefully.

"You're hired," the woman said confidently with a smile.

"Thank you so much!" Illia exclaimed. "You won't be disappointed with me, I promise. I'll do anything you ask of me. All the time."

Link gave Illia a brief hug, remembering all the good times they had as kids.

"Thank you, Link," Illia managed to choke out. She was practically in tears. "Zelda is so very lucky."

Link squeezed her tighter. After several seconds he let go, and asked her to help him look for Zelda. He was getting a little bit worried that she hadn't yet returned. The two of them ambled out of the castle and into the courtyard. Illia kept walking to the gate, but Link grabbed her by the hand and led her the other way towards the stables.

"It would probably be faster to take Epona," he implied.

Illia nodded. "Good point."

Epona bounced her head up and down happily when she saw Link enter the stables. "Easy girl," Link chuckled. "We're going for a little ride, alright?"

Epona whinnied with excitement and kicked at the stall door. When Link opened the door, she bolted out and nearly trampled Illia. Illia screamed and hastily darted out of the way.

"Epona!" Link barked at her sternly. "Settle!"

Epona lowered her massive head in shame. "Now," Link began again. "We're going for a little ride to the marketplace."

Epona straightened her back and stood tall then, trying as hard as she could to bottle up her excitement. Link motioned for Illia to come back, and he helped her up onto the horse. After he himself had mounted, he gave Epona a sharp kick, and she was off running.

The marketplace was not far off the castle grounds. It was settled in a nearby village, only about 3 miles away. The village was small, but even this early in the morning, it was bustling with activity. Link and Illia looked around for Zelda, but there were so many people.

"I'll take Epona over there and tie her up," Link told Illia, pointing to a horse corral nearby. "You keep looking."

Illia and Link agreed to meet up back where they were in ten minutes. Illia started her search at a bookshop. Link began looking in the apothecary. When he walked into the apothecary's quaint little shop, he noticed many shelves of differently colored potions. The bottles were all labeled according to what ailment they treated. Compared to the busy street outside, the apothecary was relatively quiet. There were only a few other people in the shop besides Link. At the front of the shop, Link heard a familiar voice talking to the apothecary. It was Zelda! But wait, Link thought to himself. What was she doing here?

"So, I have to take a spoonful of this once a day for five days?" Zelda asked the apothecary.

"Only if you want to get better, Your Highness," the apothecary said sternly.

"Zelda!" Link rushed to the front counter. "What happened? Are you alright? What are you doing here?"

"It's alright Link. I woke up this morning with an upset stomach is all. I'll be fine." Zelda said calmly. She reached out and touched Link's face with her dainty, gloved hand. "You worry too much," she giggled.

Link blushed, "I care about you," he said lovingly.

"I know you do," Zelda said softly.

"The total for the medicine comes to fifteen rupees," The apothecary said suddenly, interrupting their moment.

"Oh, of course," Zelda said, bringing herself back to reality. She reached into her purse and took out the appropriate amount. "Thank you."

"No, Your Highness, thank you," the apothecary said with a smile.

Illia was waiting for Link outside where they had planned. When she saw Zelda, a huge smile crept across her face. "There you are!" she said, ecstatic. "I was looking all over for you!"

Zelda laughed. "As was someone else," she said, elbowing Link.

"There's nothing wrong with being worried every now and again!" Link defended himself.

Link went to untie Epona and helped Zelda up onto her. "Are you coming back with us, Illia?"

"Oh, I'm afraid I can't. I ran into my grandmother in the bookshop and she insisted I come over for tea," Illia answered.

"Very well," Link said. He mounted Epona and steered her in the right direction. "See you later then!" he waved.

"Goodbye, Illia!" Zelda called behind her.

Epona seemed rather in a hurry to get back to the castle, and she was galloping rather fast. Suddenly, she hit a bump in the road, which caused her riders to bouce up a little. It didn't seem to bother Link all that much, but Zelda cried out in pain.

"Ow!" her hand immediately flew to her stomach and she clutched it hard. "Link, please tell Epona to slow down." She moaned.

Link took it one step further and commanded his horse to stop. He dismounted and lifted Zelda off as well. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, setting her gently on the ground. "What's wrong?" he put a hand to her stomach and stroked her hair, trying to calm her down.

Zelda winced as she screamed again. "I don't know what's happening," she cried. Sweat was beginning to form in beads on her forehead. Her breathing picked up as she took in large gulps of air.

"Oh gosh!" Link gasped, crying in frustration. He wanted so badly to know what was happening to his wife. "Epona! Go back to the castle and send for help!" he cried desperately.

Epona did as she was told. She took off running towards the castle.

"Stay with me, honey!" Link told Zelda. "Epona's going to get help. You're going to be okay!"

Zelda looked up at Link, still breathing heavily. Her eyes were bloodshot and the pain in her stomach was not letting up. With each breath she took, the pain was worse. She cried out in agony again, holding on tight to Link's hand, which was still resting on her abdomen. She let out a few more sobs, and then whispered something to Link. Her voice was barely audible, however, and Link could not understand her. But she knew what she wanted to say. "I love you."


	4. Chapter 4

Zelda opened her eyes slowly, and then blinked several times. She was in her bedroom, lying on her bed underneath the blankets. She was incredibly confused, remembering all that had happened before she blacked out. "Wha-what?" she wondered aloud, her head spinning.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake!" Impa rushed over and sat down on the bed beside her. She put a hand to Zelda's forehead.

"Impa, what happened? What's going on?" Zelda wanted to know. She looked down at her body. She was wearing her blue nightgown, which felt rather tight around the waist, she noticed.

"Please calm down," Impa said in a soothing voice. "Zelda, you've been in a coma for the past three weeks."

"Three weeks?!" Zelda was astounded. She sat straight up in bed, but a sharp pain in her lower back forced her to lie back down. "What happened to me? Why was I unconscious for so long?" she feared that something was seriously wrong with her.

Impa held Zelda's hand and squeezed it tight. "Zelda, I need to tell you something," she spoke sofly. She took a deep breath before she spoke again. "You're pregnant."

Zelda tried to process what was just said to her. "I'm what?"

"It seems as though your body had a rather violent reaction to the first signs of your pregnancy," Impa told her. "However, it's rather unclear to me why. The sickness that you felt the morning after was the first sign. And my guess is that when you got that jolt from riding Epona, it only aggravated your symptoms even more, causing you to go into shock."

Zelda had a puzzled look on her face. "Wait a minute," she began. "How do you know for sure that I am?"

"I found the journal you keep of your menstrual cycles. You were supposed to have your period 2 weeks ago. I checked the bed sheets every day and there was never any blood. You skipped your period for this month." Impa said, sounding like a doctor to Zelda.

"I really am pregnant?" Zelda asked hopefully. She laid a hand on her stomach. Now it made sense to her why her dress was tighter. At first she had figured she just gained a few pounds from the inactivity of being in a coma for so long. "So, I'm about a month along then?"

"Around that, yes," Impa answered. "You don't appear to be showing too much yet though."

"I can notice the difference," Zelda smirked. Suddenly, she was filled with an excitement she couldn't describe. "Link," she said aloud then. "I have to tell Link!" she started to get up again, but Impa gently pushed her back down.

"Don't be so anxious," she laughed. Then her voice became more serious. "You're still getting your strength back. I will go and fetch Link for you."

Zelda relaxed a little. "Thank you, Impa," she smiled.

Link and Illia were in the dining room having dinner when Impa walked in. When Link saw her, he sprang up from his chair and dashed over to her.

"Impa! What's the news? Is she awake?" The questions came out of his mouth at a hundred miles an hour.

Impa smiled at him. "Yes, she is awake. And she has something very important to tell you."

Link ran from the dining room and bolted up the stairs, nearly tripping on his own feet. When he reached the end of the long corridor, he pushed open the bedroom door with a great amount of force. "Zelda!" he cried in relief, trying to catch his breath. He hurried over to the bed and knelt down beside it. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

"I'm fine," Zelda laughed. She reached out to stroke his cheek. "I haven't done this in three weeks," she said warmly.

Link looked into her eyes and kissed her hand. He was beginning to calm down a bit. "Impa said you had something to tell me," he reminded.

"Oh, yes," Zelda said, trying to find the right words. "I know why I had an upset stomach that morning now."

"Really? How come?" Link asked.

"Come closer," Zelda told him. Link did so, wondering what this was all about. "Closer," she repeated again and again, until his face was only a few inches from hers. She whispered her good news gently into his ear.

"Really?!" Link burst out excitedly, in a voice so loud, Zelda was sure the entire kingdom could hear. "You're having a baby?"

Zelda smiled and nodded her head, laughing at Link's enthusiasm.

"Oh honey! That's wonderful!" Link beamed. He grabbed his wife in a hug, and squeezed her tightly, causing Zelda to let out a small squeak. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry!" Link apologized.

"It's okay," Zelda assured. She grabbed his face in her hands and kissed his warm lips. "I haven't done that in three weeks either," she laughed. "I'm a little rusty."

"Well then I guess that means we should practice some more," Link snickered. "Pucker up, Princess!"

Zelda ran her hand through his thick blond hair. Her lips met his and they kissed with such intensity that they were both dying for air after only a few seconds. "Practice makes perfect," Zelda joked.

Link lied down on the bed then, and Zelda joined him. He rolled over on his side so that he was facing her. "May I?" he asked, his hand hovering over her stomach.

"Of course," Zelda giggled. "It is your child, after all."

Link rested his marked hand over Zelda's slightly protruding stomach. He stroked it a few times, feeling the presence of a new life. Suddenly, his mark began to glow.

"What's happening?" Zelda asked, confused.

"I'm not sure," Link answered her. "I'm getting some kind of image in my head," Link paused for a bit, while he tried to make it out. "I think it's the baby."

"You can see the baby?" Zelda was shocked at this. "I wonder if I can," she put her marked hand on her stomach as well. After a few moments, there was an image in her head as well. "Link!" Zelda was thrilled. "The Triforces allow us to see our baby! We can check up on it while it's in there!"

Link was amazed. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Wow," he marveled.

"This is so exciting!" Zelda squealed. "We're going to be parents!"

Link looked upon his wife lovingly. "Come here, you," he smiled. Then the two of them cuddled together on the bed, until eventually, they both fell asleep. Their heads were filled with happy thoughts that night, and they had very pleasant dreams.


	5. Chapter 5

Link was awakened the next morning by the sunlight streaming through the slightly opened curtains of their bedroom window. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, got out of bed, and got dressed for the day. After he was fully dressed, he opened up the curtains all the way.

Zelda groaned softly. "Is it morning already?" she asked groggily, sitting up in bed. She slowly swung her legs over to the side and started to stand up.

Link rushed over to her. "Here, I'll help you," he insisted. He wrapped his left arm around her waist while his right hand held tightly onto hers, and he gently pulled her off the bed, steadying her once she was standing up all the way. She took a step and immediately collapsed into his strong arms. "Take it easy," Link whispered. "You haven't walked in a long time."

"I wonder how long it'll take to get my footing back," Zelda asked, her voice near cracking. She looked as if she was about to cry. "Hopefully it won't take too long. It will only get worse with my pregnancy progressing."

"I'm sure you'll be able to walk again without a problem soon," Link assured her. "For now, you can hold onto me." He smiled at her.

Zelda was soothed by his smile. "Alright," she breathed heavily. "Would you mind walking me over to the closet?" she asked politely.

"No problem," Link answered. He assumed the same position he had when he helped her get up. They slowly shuffled over to the large armoire which held several of Zelda's best dresses. Zelda opened the doors and sifted through her options. She pulled out her favorite dress. It was white with a purple corset, and it was embellished with golden capped sleeves. She looked at the rest of her dresses and sighed deeply.

"I wonder how long it will be before I can't fit into any of these," Zelda looked at Link and laughed. "Could you go get Illia for me?" she asked him then. "I'll need her help with the corset."

"Of course," Link replied willingly. "Let me sit you down first." He helped her over to the bed and she sat down.

Illia came into the room a few moments later. "You need me, Princess?" she asked dutifully.

"Yes," Zelda replied. "Will you help me get dressed? And if you could, don't pull the corset very tight. I'd like to give the baby some breathing room."

"Oh, of course, Princess," Illia agreed. "Impa told me about the baby. How very wonderful!" she beamed.

Does everyone know now?" Zelda asked her. She felt a little embarrassed all of a sudden, even though she knew it was nothing to be embarrassed about.

"Word spreads fast in Hyrule," Illia told her and laughed. "Don't worry. Everyone is so happy for the two of you."

Zelda attempted to stand up on her own, and she stumbled again. Illia grabbed her before she had the chance to fall over. "Still I a little wobbly, I see," she giggled. Don't worry. You'll be back to normal in a couple days, according to Impa." Illia began to undress Zelda. While she was doing so, she noticed a small rip on the side seam of Zelda's nightgown. "The baby is growing fast," she commented. "You're going to need a new wardrobe quicker than I thought."

"Oh, Illia. You don't have to do that." Zelda told her.

"Nonsense. I'm you lady's maid now, remember?" Illia said smiling.

"So how big do you think I'm going to be?" Zelda asked, nervously. She hoped she would lose all the baby weight soon after the delivery.

"It's hard to tell at this stage," Illia replied. "But don't worry, Princess. Link will love you even if the weight stays on." Illia reassured Zelda, seeming to read her mind.

Zelda smiled at this. Illia had finished taking off her nightgown, and now she held up the dress. "Do you think you can step into this?" she asked.

Zelda took a timid step into the dress with her right leg, and her left one followed it. For once, she didn't lose her footing. Illia slid the dress up her body then. Once it was on all the way she began tying the corset. She left some room just as Zelda had requested. "There you go," she said once she was finished. "Would you like me to escort you to breakfast now?" Illia asked, curtsying politely.

"That sounds lovely. Thank you," Zelda replied graciously.

Link was already in the dining hall when Illia walked in with Zelda. Some of the castle cooks and servants rushed over to her, congratulating her and kissing her hand. She thanked them kindly and took a seat next to Link.

"I should tell you this now so you're not so overwhelmed when it happens," Link began once she had sat down. "The servants have insisted on having a banquet for the baby."

"Oh," Zelda said. "That sounds wonderful."

"But they'll need some time to plan so it won't be happening anytime soon," Link added. He smiled then. "Are you alright? You seem kind of jittery."

Zelda looked down at her hands and noticed they were shaking. "Oh, I'm just cold, is all," she said.

Link laughed and put his arm around her. She pulled her chair closer to his so he could have a better grip on her. "Link?" she asked then suddenly. "What do you think it is?"

"What do I think what is?" Link turned to her, momentarily confused. "Oh. The baby? I'm not sure."

Zelda nestled her head into the crook of Link's neck. "I hope it's a boy," she said dreamily. "I've always wanted a son."

"Well, in a few months we might be able to tell it's gender," Link offered. "I'd kind of like a boy too," he said smiling. "I could teach him to shoot an arrow and swordfight-"

"When he's old enough!" Zelda interrupted him. "My little boy isn't going to be playing with weapons! He could hurt himself!" She felt her motherly instincts kicking in already. She began to laugh after she had said all this. "He's going to hate me."

"No he won't," Link told her. "He's going to love you as much as I do."

One of the servants brought Zelda her breakfast then. She immediately dug into it, not even breathing in between bites of bread. The food felt wonderful in her stomach.

"Someone's hungry!" Link laughed.

"Give me a break! I haven't eaten in three weeks!" Zelda snapped. She continued to shove food in her mouth. After she had finished her breakfast, she realized she was still hungry. "You'd better get me out of here before I eat the entire kitchen," She told Link, laughing while she said it.

"Has the baby had enough to eat?" Link asked, smiling.

Zelda groaned from eating so fast. "He better have," she reclined back in her chair, holding her stomach, afraid she was going to burst.

"Come on. I'll help you up," Link offered. They shuffled back up to their bedroom slowly. Going up the stairs was much harder than coming down them, but with Link's guidance, Zelda made it up without a problem.

"Can you walk over to me?" Link was standing on the opposite side of the bedroom. Zelda was standing next to the bed, holding onto the bedpost for support. She reluctantly took a small step towards him. She lost her footing and had to grab the post again. "It's alright. Try again," Link insisted. She tried again. This time when she took a step, she planted her foot firmly on the floor. She slowly let go of the post and moved her other leg. This time, she didn't falter. She continued to move her feet slowly, until she passed the bed and there was nothing to grab onto.

"It's okay," Link said. "Just keep doing what you were doing."

She continued to take small steps. She lost her balance a couple times, but she was able to straighten herself out. Finally, after what seemed like a thousand steps, she reached Link. He gave her a big hug.

"You did it!" he exclaimed. "I knew you could! Now, I'm going to go on the other side and you try to reach me again."

Zelda started to take her small steps. She didn't stumble as many times, and she didn't have to grab onto anything. She reached Link with little complications this time.

"Can you do it a third time?" Link asked, as he walked back over to his original spot.

This time, Zelda took larger steps, more sure of her footing now. She didn't falter once, and she even started walking faster. When she was only a few feet from Link, she took one large step, and stood directly in front of him. She giggled.

"Wow, I'm impressed," Link chuckled. "I really am," he smiled at her and wrapped her in another warm hug. He took her face in his hands and stroked her cheek. "I love you," he whispered. Then he kissed her passionately. His left hand dropped down from her face and found her stomach, where it rested there for a long time.


	6. Chapter 6

The next couple of months went by very fast. Zelda was now four months pregnant, and anyone could tell just by looking at her. Her belly continued to swell with each day that passed. But despite the extra weight she was carrying, Zelda found that she had more energy than she knew what to do with. She spent a lot of her time milling about the castle, helping the servants with various tasks. The banquet they had been planning was to be held soon, and there was much work to be done. Zelda and Illia were busy setting the dining hall table, Zelda working much faster than Illia.

"Zelda, please sit down," Illia begged. "You've been on your feet all day. You need a rest."

Zelda was too absorbed in her work to notice that Illia had spoken. She just kept on setting places. Illia realized she hadn't been heard, so she grabbed Zelda's hand and pulled her towards herself.

"Hey!" Zelda said, annoyed. "I was almost finished!"

"Zelda, you need to sit down for a while. It's not good in your condition to be on your feet all the time," Illia's tone was kind and caring. "Tell you what. Why don't we go up to your room so I can measure you for your new clothes."

Zelda glanced down at her dress. She had been wearing the same one for the past month because it was the only one that fit her anymore. "Alright," she sighed. Then the two headed out of the dining hall and up the stairs.

Illia made Zelda sit down on her bed while she got out her box of sewing supplies. When she found her tape measure, she motioned for Zelda to stand up and walk towards the mirror. "Okay. Now I'm going to need you to take off your dress," she said. Zelda reached behind her and unzipped. When she had unzipped it all the way, she breathed a long sigh of relief. She hadn't realized she was sucking in that much. Illia began to take her measurements, starting with Zelda's bust. When she had finished measuring all the areas she needed to, she helped Zelda put her dress back on. "I don't think we should zip it up all the way this time," she giggled. "I'll have those dresses made as soon as possible," she informed, then turned towards the door. Before she left the room, she turned around and told Zelda to sit back down. "I think you should stay up here for a while. Link won't be very happy if he finds out you've not rested at all today." She said, and then exited the room.

"Where is Link?" Zelda wondered aloud. She hadn't seen him at all yet today, and it was already late in the afternoon. She worried for a bit, and then stopped herself. "Worrying is not good for the baby," she whispered calmly.

Link returned to the castle within the next hour. He had been out riding Epona, practicing his archery skills. When he walked into the castle, he saw several of the servants bustling about, carrying various things to be used for the banquet. One servant held a thick stack of invitations, another held several golden candle sticks. "This affair is going to be bigger than I thought," Link said aloud to himself. He began to walk towards the stairs, keeping his eyes on all the commotion. Not paying attention to where he was going, he bumped into Illia. She fell backwards onto the floor.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed once she hit the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Illia!" Link bent down and extended a hand to her. She grasped his hand firmly and he pulled her to her feet.

"It's alright, Link. I was just on my way to my living quarters to get fabric. I measured Zelda for her new dresses today." She told Link happily. "She's in your room if you want to see her, which I know you do," she smiled at him, before bidding him farewell.

Zelda was still lying on the bed when Link walked in. Her left hand was positioned on her stomach and her eyes were closed. She looked like she was sleeping, but Link knew better. Zelda smiled then, her face lit up with happiness. Link crept across the room as quietly as he could, and then gently sat down next to her. Her eyes opened immediately, and in alarm she quickly glanced over. "Oh," she laughed. "Don't scare me like that, Link."

Link scooted himself closer to her, wrapping his arm around her. "So, how's the baby?" he asked.

"It's doing just fine," Zelda replied, conforming to his embrace. "I still can't tell what it is though," she frowned. "It needs to grow a little more."

Link felt Zelda's impatience. "These things take time, sweetheart," he whispered, holding her close.

Zelda took in his scent. He smelled of the woods, the pine trees. "Were you in the forest today?" she asked.

Link grimaced and heaved a long sigh. "I'm sorry. I should've told you where I was going," he apologized. "That won't happen again, I promise." He vowed, and Zelda knew he would keep his word.

"I'm glad, because tomorrow evening is the banquet," Zelda reminded him. "I wouldn't want you to miss that."

"Now what kind of a father would I be if I didn't show up to the banquet celebrating a child I helped create?" Link asked sarcastically.

"A pretty bad one," Zelda laughed. She pulled him towards her and gave him a powerful smooch on his cheek. Link returned the favor by giving her a kiss on her lips. She moaned in ecstasy, and then pulled away gently so she could look into Link's eyes. "What are you thinking," she asked.

"I'm thinking about you and the baby," he answered. He put his left hand over her stomach and the mark of the Triforce glowed. He closed his eyes slowly. Instantaneously, he was sent an image of their unborn child. He smiled and opened his eyes. Zelda was looking at him with such admiration, it made Link melt.

"You will be the best father there ever was," she said tenderly.

The rest of that day passed quickly. Link and Zelda ate supper with Illia, and then they went for a walk in the courtyard. When nighttime settled in, Zelda was drained of all the energy she had, and Link carried her up to their room. She fell asleep as soon as he set her down in their bed. Link put on his nightshirt and crawled into bed with her. He kissed her forehead gently, then moved the covers away and kissed her belly. "Goodnight," he whispered to the baby. Then he lied back down and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

A dark, cloaked figure ran through the woods in the middle of the night. He ran past rivers, lakes, and several streams, until he reached a large cavern entrance. He lit a lantern and continued on through the cave, running into odd looking bat creatures that occasionally obstructed his path. He took out a sword and sliced his way through them, hearing their dying shrieks and laughing madly. He continued to run until he reached the end of the cave, where it opened up again to reveal a large open area, with a castle-like dwelling in the center. The building was surrounded by a lake of lava. It was constructed of cave stone, with pointed stalagmites that acted as towers. The figure ran across a stone bridge that was the only entrance and exit to the castle. The castle guards opened the large wooden doors and allowed him to pass inside. He entered a large, long room that contained only a massive stone throne towards the front and a few shelves filled with books. Sitting in the throne, was another man with orange hair. He wore all black, but had decorative detailing on his clothes. He wore a cape as dark as night itself. His head was tilted downward, and he appeared to be in deep thought.

"Lord Ganondorf!" The cloaked man addressed him, out of breath from his long run there. "I have some very important news for you!"

Ganondorf lifted his head slowly, revealing a face that had evil engraved all over it. His skin was a sickening dark green color, and his eyes were yellow. "Speak," he ordered.

The man allowed himself a little time to catch his breath. "It's about Princess Zelda."

"If you're going to tell me she married that fool, Link, then I already know about that!" Ganondorf snapped.

"Oh no, it's not that," the man said. "It's something else."

"What is it then? Tell me!" demanded Ganondorf. He was losing his patience fast.

"I was in Hyrule today," the man began, "and I heard a few people talking about her. They say she is with child."

The expression on Ganondorf's face turned from anger to confusion. "The princess is pregnant?"

"That's what they all say," the man replied.

Ganondorf put his head down again, processing this information. After a few moments his head bolted upwards. "Is the child Link's?" he asked the man anxiously.

"I would assume so, Sire. That is who she's married to," the man answered, getting rather wise.

"Do not give me such witticism again or I will have you killed!" Ganondorf threatened. He reverted back to his thoughts. "Link bears the Triforce of Courage," he acknowledged. "Zelda bears the Triforce of Wisdom…"

Ganondorf got up from his thrown and strode over to a nearby bookshelf. He scanned for the book he was looking for. He found it and pulled it out. The book was titled _The Powers of the Triforces_. He opened up the table of contents and found the chapter he was looking for. He began reading aloud. "Should the bearers of the Triforces of Wisdom and Courage become one with each other, the perfect match in the eyes of the goddesses will be made. Well, isn't that sweet," he said in disgust. Then he continued to read on. "If they are to ever have a child, then the child will be granted with a special power. This power is in the form of a new kind of Triforce: the Triforce of Auras…" His voice trailed off. He paced about the room, holding the book in his hand, continuing to read. "This Triforce allows whomever bears it to see into the souls of others, and whether they are evil or good. They may also be able to predict the far off future," Ganondorf closed the book. "If I can kidnap Zelda and raise her child as my own," he continued to pace the floor, "then I can use his or her power to help me conquer Hyrule!"

"A good plan, Sire," the man began, "but what do you intend to do with Zelda once you have her in your possession? I heard she is yet four months away from her time."

Ganondorf pondered this question for a bit. "I will give her the necessary things she requires to bear a healthy child, but she will spend most of her time locked away in the dungeon. And once the child is born, I will kill her." Ganondorf smiled evilly. "Yes, I will kill her and then take the Triforce of Wisdom from her!" he laughed maniacally.

"A most excellent solution, Lord Ganondorf," the man approved. "When shall I give the orders to attack?"

Ganondorf thought long and hard for the answer to this question. "Did you hear anything else of kingdom events while you were there today?" he asked.

Then man tilted his head up trying to jog his memory. "Oh yes!" he exclaimed after several seconds. "They are planning a banquet tomorrow evening for the child."

"Then we will attack the castle at that time," Ganondorf said. "Prepare the soldiers."

"Yes, Sire," the man said dutifully, then left the room.

Ganondorf sat back down in his throne. He looked over at the left wall of his throne room, where a picture of Princess Zelda hung. "Dear, sweet Zelda," he said to himself. "You and the child you carry will soon be mine…"

Zelda looked into her mirror as she braided her hair. The banquet would be starting in less than an hour, and she had no idea what she was going to wear. She had noticed a small rip in the dress she was wearing earlier that day, and now she had no other choices. "I might just as well go in the nude," she laughed to herself.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Zelda opened it and saw Illia standing there. She held in her arms three dresses. "These are the only ones I have finished so far," she told Zelda. "I suggest wearing this one for tonight," she held up a satiny, peach-colored dress. It had long sleeves similar to her blue nightgown. "I moved the waistline up a ways so it's just underneath the bust area. I've done that for all the dresses, to ensure they'll fit you throughout all stages of your pregnancy." Illia smiled.

"Oh, Illia," Zelda was surprised. "You measured me just yesterday, and you already have three done?"

"I worked on them all night," Illia told her, and Zelda could see the lack of sleep in her eyes. They looked a lot redder than usual.

"Illia, you shouldn't have," Zelda wrapped her in a warm hug.

"Think of it as a labor of love, Princess," Illia chimed. "Now, come on! Let's put it on!"

Zelda walked into the banquet hall with Illia by her side. Several of the guests had already arrived and were talking amongst themselves. When they caught sight of the princess, they all immediately bowed. Zelda smiled and nodded her head to acknowledge them, and they resumed chatting. Zelda and Illia took a seat at the head table near Impa, who smiled warmly at them.

"Where's Link?" Zelda asked, looking around the room for him. "He promised me he would be here."

"I'm sure he's around," Illia reassured her. "Oh! There he is! He's just coming in now."

Link walked into the room, and when the people saw him, they bowed again. Link looked about the dining hall in utter confusion and terror. He had no idea what to do. He looked over at Zelda, who nodded her head. Apprehensively, he did the same thing, giving a small, nervous smile. He took his seat next to Zelda, and she began to laugh uncontrollably.

"I'm not used to this!" Link retorted.

"I'm sorry!" Zelda apologized, though she was still laughing.

Link began to laugh too, admitting that it was, in fact, very funny.

The banquet began after a few minutes, and all the guests were enjoying the food and fellowship. After they had finished their first course, Link stood up and proposed a toast. "First off," he began, "I would just like to thank everyone for attending tonight. Your presence here makes this event all the more joyous. With that, I'd like to say a few words on behalf of my wife."

Zelda abruptly looked up at Link, hoping he wouldn't say something that embarrassed her. She looked down and tried to avoid the gaze of the crowd.

"Now I may not be a female," Link said, "but I know that having a baby is no easy task. So far though, Zelda is doing very well. I'm very proud of the way she's handled herself these past few months. And I'm proud that she's my wife. I love her very much."

The crowd erupted in long, plaintiff "awws." Link looked down at Zelda, and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, and stared adoringly into his eyes.

"Zelda, I love you," he spoke not to the crowd this time, but to her only. "To Princess Zelda!" He addressed the crowd again, raising up his goblet.

"To Princess Zelda!" They all repeated.

Link took his seat again and kissed Zelda's cheek tenderly. "I sure do have a way with words," he laughed.

Zelda scoffed. "You're so full of yourself!" she teased.

Link put his arm around her and stroked her hair. He was about to kiss her, when suddenly, they heard a crashing noise coming from outside the castle. Everyone stood up from their chairs. There was a loud rumbling coming towards the castle. The ground was shaking, and several people began to run from the banquet hall. Zelda put her hand on Link's arm. Link pulled his sword out from its sheath. He wasn't sure why he'd brought his sword in the first place, but he was glad he did. Out of nowhere, many of Ganondorf's soldiers broke through the large, stained-glass window in the banquet hall. Zelda screamed in horror as she saw several people being brutally murdered by the soldiers. After she had done this, they turned their attention to her, and ran towards the head table. Impa stepped out in front of the table and tried to protect Zelda, but one of the soldiers simply struck her in the head with a club and she was out cold.

"Oh no you don't!" Link shouted. He jumped over the table and began swinging his sword, slashing several of the soldiers with deadly accuracy. Illia ran from the room to get reinforcements. She returned a few moments later with all the castle guards. They drew their swords and joined the battle.

Zelda watched from behind the head table. She backed away slowly towards a massive fireplace, when suddenly, a soldier grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth. She attempted to scream, but it was muffled. She struggled to free herself from his grip. After struggling for a while, she realized he had not grabbed hold of her right arm. She quickly and effectively delivered a sharp blow to his gut with her elbow and he let go of her, falling backwards into the flames. Then she crawled underneath the table, hoping she wouldn't be noticed by one of them again.

The fighting continued on until finally, the number of Ganondorf's soldiers was so little, they were forced to retreat. Six of the castle guards lay dead, and nine of the guests were killed also. The rest of them had fled while they had the chance. Broken dishes and goblets were strewn all about the room. Chairs were knocked over, some of them burned, and tables were overturned. The blood of the dead was spilled everywhere.

"Zelda!" Link called out to his wife. "Where are you?"

Zelda heard him and crawled out from underneath the table. "I'm right here," she slowly got to her feet.

"Oh, thank the goddesses!" Link was relieved. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He checked her over, inspecting every square inch of her body.

"I'm fine," she told him. "One of them got a hold of me but I managed to get away."

"Link! Zelda!" It was Illia. She had vacated her hiding place underneath the china cabinets and rushed over to them. "Thank goodness you're alright!" She hugged both of them tightly.

"Glad to see you're okay too, Illia," Link said.

Several of the guards approached them then. "Is everyone okay here?" One of them asked.

"Yes, we're all fine," Link answered him.

"Impa," Zelda said suddenly, remembering her nurse. "Where's Impa?"

"Here," Impa moaned. She slowly got up from the spot on the floor where she had been knocked out. "Wow, that was some blow." She rubbed her forehead, which had a giant bump on it.

Zelda approached the center of the room, where several of the guests' bodies lay motionless. She knelt down next to one she recognized. It was Malon, a close friend of hers when she was just a young child. She stroked Malon's pale cheek and began to mourn quietly. "Why has all this happened?" she asked herself in between sobs. She continued to stroke Malon's face. "Oh Malon," she cried aloud. Link rushed to her side and knelt down beside her. Zelda grabbed Link in a fierce hug and continued to cry, tears streaming down her face. She felt an anguish that she had never felt before. It was a bitter feeling, and she didn't quite know how to deal with it.


	8. Chapter 8

A massive funeral was held the next morning for all the lives lost the night before. The entire kingdom attended, each person entering the church with tears running down their faces. The large church was overflowing with sad, despondent people. Link, Zelda, and Illia walked in and took a seat on a bench towards the back of the church. Zelda was immensely heartbroken over the loss of so many of her people, and she wept openly throughout the entire service. She wore a black dress that Illia had made her, and a black veil covered her face. Link held her hand tightly, not exactly knowing how to comfort her at the moment. When the service concluded, all the people stood up and filed out the doors. No one said a word. Zelda was the last person to leave. She told Link and Illia to go on ahead. When everyone was gone, she approached the front of the church, where fifteen caskets were arranged in a long line. She made her way over to the far right one, and stood next to it. She put her marked hand on the person's chest, and the symbol glowed. "You have my blessing now," she said softly, holding back tears. She continued on to the next person and did the same thing. She kept on until she reached the last casket, the one that held Malon. This time, she did something a little different. She kissed the symbol on her left hand and laid it on Malon's cheek. "You, Malon," she whispered, the symbol on her hand glowing again. "You have my word. I promise you I will never forget you." Zelda laid a hand on Malon's forehead and stroked it lightly, and then she turned to walk away.

Back at the castle, Link sat in a chair in the bedroom, waiting anxiously for Zelda to return. When she came through the door, he jumped up and threw his arms around her. She began to weep again, unable to control her tears. "Oh, Link!" she sobbed. "Those poor people! They didn't deserve to die like that!" she held him tightly, not wanting to let go.

Link tightened his hold on her. "Shhh. There, there," he tried to calm her down, patting her back. "Sometimes bad things happen to good people."

"No!" Zelda pulled away from him. "You don't understand! Ganondorf's soldiers were after _me_! _I'm_ the reason they attacked last night. _I'm _the reason all these people are dead!" She shouted, her voice wavering. She felt faint all of a sudden, and put a hand on her stomach.

Link steadied her. "Zelda, please sit down," he whispered, leading her over to the bed. After they were both seated, he put his arm around her gently. "You are not the cause of this. This is not your fault," he said firmly, looking into her eyes. "Ganondorf is the one to blame for all this. You know that."

"But he's after me!" Zelda insisted. "He wants me for something."

Link stared at Zelda worriedly for a few moments, and then looked down at her stomach.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Link got up to open it, and Impa rushed in, carrying a book. "There's something you both need to know. Something very important," she seemed very distraught. "Ganondorf is after the baby."

Zelda let out a small gasp, and both her hands flew to her stomach in defense. "Why?" she asked, perplexed.

Impa opened the book. "As you know, Link," she began, "you bear the Triforce of Courage."

"Yes," Link answered nervously, wondering where this was going.

"And Zelda," she continued, "you bear the Triforce of Wisdom.

Zelda nodded her head in confusion.

"The child you have inside you right now," Impa went on, "it will be born bearing the Triforce of Auras."

Link and Zelda looked at each other in shock. "What?" Link asked. "How has this happened?"

"According to this book," Impa began to read aloud. "If the bearers of the Triforces of Courage and Wisdom are to have a child, then the child will be born with a new, special kind of Triforce, known as the Triforce of Auras."

"What does that mean?" Zelda asked, worriedly.

"It means your child will be able to see the souls of others. It will be able to tell if a certain person has goodness inside them or pure evil," Impa informed. She closed the book. "Zelda," her voice became lower, "you must be protected at all times until this child is born. If Ganondorf gets a hold of you, there's no telling what will happen."

Zelda put her face in her hands and started to cry. "I don't want him to hurt my baby," she whimpered.

"He won't," Link said confidently. "I'll make sure he never lays a hand on you!" he grabbed Zelda in a hug, and stroked her hair. "He'll have to get through me first."

"It is your duty to protect your family, Link," Impa warned. "Do not fail them. I have faith in you." She put her hand on top of his.

"I promise," Link said. Then Impa left the room.

"Lord Ganondorf," One of Ganondorf's soldiers addressed him. His voice was quiet and shameful. "We were not able to capture the princess." He braced himself for an unhappy reply.

"You what?!" Ganondorf screamed, standing up from his throne. "I give you the simplest task and you fail me?!"

The soldier began to speak again rapidly. "I saw that one of us had her in his grasp, but she hit him and he fell backwards," he spoke of the soldier who had perished in the fireplace. "She's very strong for being pregnant," he pointed out.

"She will not be for long," Ganondorf said. Then an idea struck him. His mouth curled up into an evil smile.

"Should we plan another attack soon?" the soldier asked.

"No," Ganondorf said. "No more attacks."

The soldiers all looked at him like he was crazy. Which, he was, but this was a side of him they had never seen before. "You don't want us to attack?" One of them questioned.

"Zelda will be approaching her time within the next few months," Ganondorf said. "When she becomes close, I will go to Hyrule alone and kidnap her. With my luck, she won't have much strength by that time and will not be able to fend me off as easily."

"So, you don't want us to attack again-?"

"NO!" Ganondorf yelled. "Off with all of you!"

The soldiers scrambled out of the room. When they had all left, Ganondorf sat back down. "When the time comes," he looked at the picture of Zelda again, "I shall have you in my grasp. And this time," he laughed evilly, "you won't be able to run away…"


	9. Chapter 9

"So how's that doily coming along?" Illia asked Zelda. They were sitting together in Illia's living quarters, knitting. Illia had been teaching Zelda some new skills so she wouldn't be so bored as she became less and less able-bodied. Another few weeks had passed since the banquet massacre, and Zelda was now beginning to feel the weight of the child inside her. She was starting to move a bit slower, and she found she had to support her back with her hands if she stood for a long amount of time, so she tried to stay off her feet as much as possible. Today was supposed to be relaxing for her. Impa, with the assistance of Link, had ordered her to rest as often as she could. They also wanted to ensure she didn't spend all her time worrying. So Illia thought knitting might be a nice way to distract her. Zelda, however, felt as if she were under house arrest.

Zelda looked down at the tangled mess of yarn in her hands. "Not so good," she sighed. "I'll never be as good as you, that's for sure."

Illia giggled. "Here, let me help you get back on track," she took the yarn from Zelda and began untangling it. She looked out the window and smiled. "It sure is a lovely day, isn't it?"

Zelda turned her attention to the open window. It was a very nice day. The birds were singing and the sky was a bright, magnificent blue. The clouds were as white and fluffy as new fallen snow. She put her hand on her stomach and stroked it lightly.

Illia found herself very touched by this. "How great it must feel. I mean, that you're going to be a mother soon." She said in awe.

Zelda looked up at Illia and smiled. "I think about it every day," she said, then her expression became more serious. "Sometimes, I wonder if I'll be a good mom."

"Of course you will," Illia assured her. "Don't even say something like that," she gave Zelda the warmest smile she had in her.

"Illia," Zelda said softly. "You have a smile brighter than the sun itself," she laughed, and gave Illia a big hug.

"Thank you, Princess," Illia said, alleviated by Zelda's warm embrace. "Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. "I think the baby just kicked!" she said happily.

Zelda laughed. "It's been doing that quite often lately."

"Have you and Link been thinking of any names yet?" Illia asked.

"Well, we're thinking Xander if it's a boy," Zelda said. "But we're not sure about a girl's name yet."

"I like Xander," Illia beamed.

"I do too," Zelda laughed, then she patted her stomach.

Link spent a large amount of his time training. It came to his attention that if Ganondorf attacked again, he would not be ready for him. So he worked on his combat skills for hours each day. He was determined not to let Ganondorf carry out whatever evil he was plotting. Today, he had set up flour sack dummies all over that castle's training grounds. He took out his bow, and shot down each one of them with only one arrow per dummy. "Try beating that, Ganon!" he hissed. "You're not getting my wife, _or_ my child!" he raised his arm in preparation to shoot another arrow, when a hand touched his shoulder.

"Zelda has requested to see you," Impa stood behind Link. "I think you need to go talk to her. She's very tense at the moment. She said, and I quote, 'my back hurts, my breathing is labored, I'm not good for anything anymore, there's an evil sorcerer after my baby, and I need my husband!'" she said the last part with extra emphasis.

Link heaved a deep sigh. "Distraction therapy didn't work, I take it."

Impa shook her head. "She just can't take her mind off of Ganondorf."

"Alright, I'll go talk to her," Link ran off the practice field and into the castle.

Zelda lied on her bed with her head in the pillows, sobbing loudly. Earlier that day, she was happier than she had been in a long time. But when she came back to her room after her knitting session with Illia, the cold reality of it all set in again. She felt trapped, and there was absolutely no way out. She let out a few more loud cries, and then she quieted down a bit. Slowly, she sat up, being very careful not to move too quickly. Once she was up, she stared down at her stomach, and started to cry quietly again. "Don't worry, sweetheart," she whispered to her child. "Mommy's just a little vexed right now, is all." She rubbed her belly and continued to sob ever so lightly.

Link listened quietly at the door for a few moments, overhearing the words she'd spoken. He turned the knob gently and stepped into the room.

Zelda caught sight of him and gasped. "Oh, Link! You're here! Thank goodness!" she stood and rushed to the door, as fast as she could, anyway, where she grabbed him in a hug. She was still crying a bit, fresh tears running down her flushed cheeks. "I'm so happy you're here now," she sniffled. "I know you told me not to worry, but I can't help it. I'm scared." She looked up at him and Link saw the pain in her eyes.

He held his wife tightly and stroked her soft hair. "To be very honest," he began to say, "I'm scared too. I have no idea what he plans to do, but I'm doing all I can to protect you. Both of you," he said. He kissed her forehead tenderly. "I love you," he whispered.

Zelda melted into his embrace, feeling the strength of his arms. "I love you, too," she said, her tears beginning to vanish. "You always know what to say when I'm sad," she smiled.

Link returned the smile. "Of course I do," he teased.

Zelda moved her hands to her back, then, and moaned in pain. "I think I need to sit down now," she told Link. They shuffled over to the bed, and they both sat down.

"Hey," Link said. "Why don't we go to bed early tonight? I could ask Spryte to bring our supper in here and we can just relax the rest of the evening."

Zelda smiled. "I think that sounds lovely." She lied down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Link joined her and put his arm around her. "Link," Zelda said suddenly after a few moments of complete silence. "I know that we have a boy's name figured out, but what are we going to do if it's a girl?" she asked.

Link thought about this for a while. "I have no idea," he laughed. "Why don't we worry about that when the time comes?"

"Okay," Zelda sighed. She cuddled up against Link and closed her eyes, picturing a beautiful baby in her arms.


	10. Chapter 10

"All this waiting around is quite tedious," Ganondorf said to himself. He was sitting in his throne room, alone. "And I have yet four months to wait!" he slammed his giant fist on the arm of his throne. He got up from his seat and began to pace the room, which had become a habit of his. He continued to mutter to himself, when the large castle door was thrust open. Two guards came rushing in, and they carried with them a young girl. The girl struggled to free herself from their grasp, but they were too strong. The guards approached Ganondorf cautiously.

Ganondorf turned his attention to them, and then to the girl. She had long black hair that was tied back into a braid, bright green eyes, and skin that looked almost pure white from a distance. She wore a simple green dress with a belt tied around her waist, but she wore no shoes. The guards threw her to the floor at Ganondorf's feet, and she cried in pain. "Guards," Ganondorf began, "who is this you have brought into my presence?"

"We found her wandering outside the caverns," One of the guards answered him. "She claims to be one of the Kokiri."

"Interesting," Ganondorf mused. "Rise up, silly girl!" he commanded. The girl slowly got to her feet. The guards immediately grabbed both her arms once she was off the floor. Ganondorf looked her up and down. "What is your name?" he asked.

The girl hesitated a bit before answering him. "Lyn," she said faintly. "And I can explain what I was doing outside your castle," she spoke rapidly, her voice faltering.

"Can you, now?" Ganondorf mocked. "Well then, what were you doing?" His tone was softer than before.

"My mother is very ill," Lyn began her story. "Our village shaman told her she had less than a month to live, unless she ate the leaves of a goponga flower. Well, we don't have any of those in our area, so I set out to find some. I looked everywhere for them, but I couldn't find a single one. Until I came here…"her voice trailed off and she began to shake. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was the entrance to your castle! I didn't mean to intrude! Please, please let me go!" she begged.

Ganondorf mulled this over. "A very interesting story," he said. "But I think I may have some use for you around here. Guards, leave us alone," he ordered, and the guards fled the room. He grabbed Lyn's hand and pulled her close to him, his face only a few inches from hers. She squirmed and attempted to escape, but his hand was firm around hers. "Lyn," he began. There was a sly look in his eye. "Lately, I've been feeling, well…a little down. There's a certain situation in Hyrule that bothers me. If you are Kokiri, then you probably don't know what that situation is." He moved his hand towards her face and attempted to touch her cheek, but she pulled away.

"I know nothing of Princess Zelda," she spat. "All I know is my tribe and the forests that surround it. I've heard things about her, yes, but I know not exactly who she is."

"Perhaps you've heard of a young man named Link?" Ganondorf questioned her.

Lyn looked down at the floor. "Him, I have heard a great deal about. I know he bears the Triforce of Courage and that he was once Kokiri himself. I have never met him, but my tribe tells stories about him. They say he is a hero chosen by the gods…"

"I've heard enough!" Ganondorf interrupted her speech. "Nonetheless, young Link has married Princess Zelda, and they are expecting a child." He informed. "The child possesses the Triforce of Auras, and I intend to raise it as my own."

"You wouldn't dare kidnap the Princess's child!" Lyn hissed. "Link will guard it with his life!"

"Link will not know what hit him!" Ganondorf yelled. "Zelda is approximately five months along now. She has been able to protect the child herself in the past. Which is why I intend to capture her just a few weeks before the child will be born. She will not be able to defend herself and I will arrange a special surprise for Link." Ganondorf's expression changed then, from anger to curiosity. "You are a female," he spoke to her softly. "Perhaps you might understand why a woman goes to such lengths to protect her child."

Lyn's face became sullen at this. "Unfortunately, I would have no way of knowing. I don't have any children, and I never will. I do not have the ability to conceive a child," her voice was soft and hinted a bit of melancholy. "Princess Zelda does not know how lucky she is."

Ganondorf suddenly felt pity for Lyn, but it was quickly washed away and replaced with a truly dreadful and grotesque idea. "Hmmm," he pondered. "You may be of more service to me than I originally thought." The corners of his mouth turned up into an evil smile. "You will remain in my castle for the rest of your natural life, and I will call upon you whenever I see fit. When I ask you to, you will subdue me of my…..desires," he chuckled wickedly. "Guards!" he yelled.

"Yes, Lord Ganondorf?" The same two guards rushed into the throne room.

"Take Lyn to the dungeons!" he ordered. "But escort her to my chamber at eight'o clock sharp tonight. We have some business to take care of." His mouth formed a crooked smile.

"You vile pig!" Lyn screamed over her shoulder as the guards pushed her forcefully out of the room.

Ganondorf simply laughed at this. "See you at eight, my pet!"

The twilight skies in Hyrule covered the land like a dark orange shroud. Shopkeepers in nearby Castle Town had closed up for the night, and people were starting to return to their homes. Zelda watched them from her bedroom window, wishing she were outdoors at the moment. Link had told her to remain inside the castle for the duration of her pregnancy. He insisted it would be much safer. She knew he was probably right, but she longed to be outside. She leaned over the window and rested her elbows upon it. She began to hum a soft melody, the resonance of her lovely voice floating down gently to the residents of Castle Town below. The town rejoiced to hear her singing. It brought them feelings of hope and blissfulness. The sound of her voice let them know she was happy and in good health.

Link was in Castle Town that evening to purchase a new saddle for Epona. As he was walking back to the castle, he heard Zelda's voice, and smiled. No other voice in the entire kingdom matched the beauty of hers. He entered the stables and greeted Epona, who whinnied back happily.

"Hey, girl," he said softly. "How are you?" He took her nose in his hands and stroked it. "Do you hear that?" He asked. "That's Zelda." He smiled at his horse, and Epona gave him a crooked smile back. "You keep working on that," he laughed. He patted her neck and left her for the night.

Zelda stopped singing and moved away from the window. She walked over to a rocking chair that Link had made for her so she could rock the baby to sleep when it arrived. She slowly sat down and picked up something she had been knitting. It was a green hat that resembled Link's. She looked down at her stomach. "You're going to wear this someday," she whispered. "And you're going to be a hero just like your dad, whether you're a boy or a girl."


	11. Chapter 11

"Hold still, stupid girl!" One of Ganondorf's guards was stripping Lyn of her long, green dress and putting her into something more suitable for Ganondorf's wishes. The guard fitted her into a short, black lace dress with a very revealing neckline. "You Kokiri are dumber than you look!" the guard insulted her shrilly. "Lord Ganondorf must take interest in that. Perhaps once he's done with you I could have a turn," he smiled deceitfully.

"I am nobody's wench!" Lyn spat. She made a fist and punched the guard square in the jaw. He cried out with pain.

"Why you little bitch!" he snarled. He then returned her hostile action by striking her across the face. "You will do well to contain your anger!" he jeered. "Come now. It's almost eight'o clock."

The guard led Lyn out of the dungeon and up several flights of stairs to Ganondorf's chamber. She reluctantly followed him without any more protest. She held a trembling hand to her eye, which was now swollen from the blow. When they reached the fifth floor of the castle, the guard stepped off the stairs and began to lead Lyn down a long, dark corridor. The hall was lit only by a few torches on the walls. There were many doors along the corridor on each side, but one door in particular stood out to Lyn. The door at the very end of the hall evoked an intense fear that she had never felt before. The door itself was not intimidating, but what was behind the door was. Lyn knew immediately that it was the door to Ganondorf's chamber. Her heart began to beat faster and she let out a small cry.

"Hey! Shut up, back there!" the guard barked fiercely. He jerked her closer towards him, nearly making her trip over her own feet. "Come on now! Keep up!"

The guard started walking faster toward the door, dragging Lyn behind him. When they reached the end of the hall, he opened the large, wooden door and pushed her inside, slamming it shut behind her. The room was dark except for a small source of light coming from a few candles on a table.

"Ah, Lyn," Ganondorf mused. "I'm so happy you've come." He was relaxed on his massive bed, his hands resting behind his head.

"I didn't have much of a choice," Lyn retorted. Ganondorf stood up and slowly walked over to her. He moved his hand towards her face, and she jerked her head away. But that didn't stop him. He took his other hand and held her head close to his chest. Now he took his free hand and gently stroked her cheek. Lyn still struggled to free herself, but his hands were like steel. After a while, she gave up her effort.

"You see how much easier it is when you cooperate?" Ganondorf teased. His hand moved from her cheek down to her chest, and he began kissing her neck so forcefully that Lyn winced in agony. His mouth slowly started moving farther down, and in one last attempt at defense, Lyn used all the strength she had and pushed him away.

"I will not do this!" she screamed. "You will not use me for your own sexual games!" She ran to the opposite side of the room and leaned against the wall, panting violently.

Ganondorf trudged over to her, a look of pure displeasure on his face. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him "You should know," he began. "that I don't appreciate it when I don't get what I want. And I intend to get what I want from you." With a quick movement of his arm he tossed Lyn onto his bed. He climbed on top of her and ripped the dress off, revealing her undergarments.

Lyn screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to avoid his mouth whenever it came close to her. Ganondorf had pinned her arms down at her sides and positioned his legs on top of hers. She was trapped underneath his enormous body and there was no escape. "Leave me alone!" she cried, tears flowing down her face. She had never felt such pain in her entire life, and it ate away at all the self-confidence she had left. She felt like she was not even a person anymore, just a toy for someone else's enjoyment. She writhed and struggled to get her body out from underneath his.

Ganondorf became impatient. "You're making this harder than it has to be!" he yelled. "The longer you struggle, the longer this is going to take! Give up, now!"

"Never!" Lyn shouted. She continued her fight.

"Alright, then. Fine," Ganondorf said angrily. "I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." He took a hand away from Lyn's arm and clutched her neck. Before she even knew what was happening, he forcibly smashed her head against the headboard of the bed, knocking her unconscious. The last thing she remembered seeing was Ganondorf's hand moving towards her right leg, and pushing it farther away from the other one.


	12. Chapter 12

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Early one morning, when the sun was just rising above the hills, Zelda awoke from her slumber. She slowly sat up in bed, being careful not to wake the sleepy Link by her side. Once up, she tiptoed over to his side of the bed, bent down slowly, and kissed his forehead. "Good morning, Love," she whispered as softly as she could.

Link's eyes fluttered to life, and as soon as he could make out the form of his wife, he smiled. "Good morning to you, too," he said, reaching up to touch her face.

Zelda frowned. "I'm sorry," she said apologetically. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Link sat up. "It's alright," he said reassuringly. Then he laughed. "I probably should be awake before you, anyway."

Zelda smiled, and her eyes sparkled radiantly. "Ilia has the day off today," she said, a little bit sudden. "Maybe you and I could go for a walk?"

"Zelda," Link warned.

"I mean inside, of course," Zelda added. "Although, I really would like some fresh air." She looked at Link with pleading eyes. He hated when she did that because he was never able to say no.

Link stood his ground this time, however. "I really wish I could take you outside, I really do. I think that fresh air would be very good for the baby. I just don't want to take the chance," he told her. "You're vulnerable if you go outside…." His voice trailed off then. "I can't let that happen." He rested his hand on hers, and stroked it with his thumb.

Zelda appreciated his honesty, and knew it was for the best. "I understand," she said softly. She sat down next to Link on the bed and looked down at the floor. A silent tear fell from her eye. She didn't notice it, but Link immediately knew something was wrong.

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her body close to his. He caressed her stomach with his other hand. "Hey, now," he whispered. He leaned in close and kissed her cheek ever so lightly. "I know this is hard, but I hate seeing you like this, honey," he said sweetly. Zelda sniffled and began to cry aloud. "Sweetheart," Link began again. "Please don't cry. I want you to be happy, alright?" he glanced down at her stomach. "Baby wants Mommy to be happy."

Zelda looked up at Link. Her mouth began to form a small smile, and she giggled. Link took a handkerchief out of his pocket and dried her eyes until they glistened like sapphires once again. "That's much better," he beamed.

"Thank you, Link. You're always there for me," Zelda said admirably.

"Till death do us part," Link reminded her. "Come on," he said. "Stand up." He held out his hands to her and she took them. He slowly began to pull her up off the bed.

Zelda groaned quietly once she was on her feet and a hand involuntarily moved to her back for support. Being she was almost eight months pregnant, her back was incredibly sore all the time. "You have no idea how painful this is," Zelda croaked.

Link laughed. "You're right, I don't." The sound of his laughter made Zelda laugh, too. "Come here," Link said, grabbing her in a hug. "Wow, I can barely fit my arms around you anymore," he teased.

Zelda pulled away from him. "What's that supposed to mean?" she questioned, a playful look in her eyes. "You're not calling me fat, are you?" she asked, faking anger.

Link didn't catch on to her sarcasm right away. He began to panic as he searched for the right words. "No! I just….um….was just saying….." He was actually starting to sweat a little bit at the thought of upsetting her. "It's perfectly fine!" he said finally, breathing hard.

Zelda burst out laughing. "I'm just kidding!" she giggled. "You fell for that one!" She seemed rather childlike all of a sudden.

Link's eyes grew wide. "Don't ever do that again! I seriously thought you were mad at me!" he exclaimed. After a few moments, he started to laugh as well. "Okay, okay. That was pretty good, Zelda!" He smiled at her and she smiled back. There was a brief moment of silence. "Why don't we take that walk now?"

Zelda was about to respond, when her stomach growled suddenly. "I think the baby's hungry," she said. They both erupted into laughter once more.

"Alright," Link chuckled. "We'll go have some breakfast first."


	13. Chapter 13

Impa was sitting alone in the dining hall reading a book when Link and Zelda arrived. Once she noticed them, she put her book down and waved enthusiastically. "Good morning, you two lovebirds!" she called, laughing. "How did you sleep last night?"

"I slept okay," Link answered her. "But I don't know about Zelda. She seemed like she was in a lot of pain last night."

"Did I keep you up again with my moaning?" Zelda asked Link, feeling ashamed of herself. "I'm sorry. The baby must've been kicking harder than usual. He, or she, I guess, is definitely ready to be out in the world."

Impa looked confused. "You mean you still don't know what it is? I thought you would be able to tell by now?"

"Actually, we decided we want to be surprised," Link told her. "I mean, knowing would be helpful, but it just wouldn't be as enjoyable. I guess that's the point of waiting so long for something so special." He looked adoringly at Zelda and kissed her forehead.

Impa smiled. "How very sweet. That baby is going to love its parents so much." Her tone of voice was sincere.

"Impa, I hope you don't mind me asking," Zelda began. "but would you help with the delivery?"

"Oh, I wouldn't mind at all!" Impa was delighted. "To help bring the heir to Hyrule's thrown into this world? That would be just wonderful!"

Just then, one of the castle soldiers burst through the door. He seemed very tired and out of breath. "Your Highnesses!" He exclaimed. "I have major news to report!"

"What is it?" Link asked, alarmed. From the look on the soldier's face, it didn't seem like good news.

The soldier stopped to catch his breath. The three of them allowed him his time. Finally, he spoke. "There is trouble in the Ordona Province. We believe Ganondorf is leading an attack on the poor villagers there in search of something important."

"Link!" Zelda shrieked. "That's where Ilia is from! We can't let Ganondorf kill off all her people!"

"Please, Master Link. You must help us fight off the invasion! I don't think we can do it without you!" The soldier was exasperated.

Link didn't know what to say. He had to stay in the castle with Zelda. She needed his protection from Ganondorf. But if Ganondorf was in fact in Ordon Village, then he wouldn't be able to attack her anyway. Link's mind wandered in search of the right decision to make. Ordon was Ilia's homeland, and his own, at that. Ilia's father was the mayor there, and Link had learned a great deal from all the villagers. He simply could not let them all suffer. "I…..I….." he stammered.

"Link," Zelda took Link's arm in her hands. She looked at him with a sincerity that he had never seen before. "You should go help out. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine here on my own." She squeezed his arm tightly, not wanting to let go.

"The guards will do everything they possibly can to make sure she is safe," the soldier said. "She is well guarded, Master Link."

"I will do all I can as well," Impa reassured him. "I promise you she will be safe here. Her and the baby."

Zelda smiled at Link. "See? I'll be alright." She kissed his cheek gently. Then she cupped his face in her hands and kissed his lips. They were warm and soft, as always.

Link wrapped his arms around her, wishing he would never have to let go. He wondered if this would be the last time he kissed her. Then a thought came to his mind. What if the baby was born while he was away? "Zelda," he said abruptly, pulling his mouth away from hers.

"What is it?" she asked, worried.

"If I'm not here to see the birth of our child, please fill me in on everything I missed when I come home," he said remorsefully.

Zelda's eyes began to water and she shed a tear. She hadn't thought about this either. "I promise, Link," she said, her voice swallowed up by her sobs. Then she broke down, crying. She flung her arms around Link one more time.

Link fought back tears, but it was no use. He wept openly, stroking Zelda's soft hair. They remained in each other's arms for a few minutes. Impa stood by and cried silently, feeling their pain. After a while, Zelda slowly tore herself away from Link.

"You should go, now." She said, still crying. Impa handed her a small cloth and she dried her eyes.

Link nodded his head. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can," he said softly. "Try not to go into labor until I get back," he let out a small smile, attempting to lighten the mood.

Zelda giggled a bit at this, but her heart was still heavy. "I'll try."

Ten minutes later, Link was standing outside the castle gate. He was putting some supplies on top of Epona's back, when Zelda came rushing outside.

"Link!" she shouted. Link turned around in shock to see that his eight months pregnant wife was literally running towards him.

"Zelda?! What are you doing?" he gasped. Zelda jumped into his arms, and Link, being completely off guard, barely caught her. "You can't do that, Sweetheart!" Link scolded. Then he heard Zelda's quiet sobs.

"I'm sorry." she said. "It's just that," her voice faltered. "I love you so much. And it hurts to watch you go." She looked up at Link, and her eyes told him everything she was feeling at the moment. The pain he was feeling in his own heart brought him to understand hers.

"I love you, too," he told her, brushing away some hair that had fallen in her face while she was running. "And I don't want to leave you, either."

"I know," Zelda said quietly. She began to breathe harder. "You're right," she said. "I shouldn't be running." She put her hand over her chest.

Link hugged her once more, but it was a brief hug, only lasting a few seconds. "I will return soon. I promise." He mounted Epona, and looked in her direction again. "Goodbye, Love."

"Goodbye, Link," Zelda said. Then Link took the reins in his hands, gave Epona a slight kick, and they were off. "I love you!" she called after him. She watched on the horizon until he was completely out of sight. Then she buried her face in her hands, not being able to cry anymore. All she could do was hope and pray that Link would come home safely. Her hands moved down to her stomach, and she patted it gently. "Don't worry, little one. Daddy's coming back. I promise."


	14. Chapter 14

**So I finally figured out how to write an author's note in a chapter (yeah, I'm stupid haha!) So I guess y'all probably have a lot of questions for me. If you do, just ask them in the comments of this chapter and I'll answer them in the author's note of chapter 15. One question that I got from somebody, whose comment I could not reply to because they were a guest, was "what in the heck does chapter 11 have to do with the rest of the story?" Well, in case you haven't noticed, the story ain't over yet! I promise it'll all make sense in the end! For now, keep your pants on and read this chapter! I worked hard on this one, and I hope everybody enjoys it! See you in chapter 15! :)**

The next day was a solemn one in Hyrule. When the news of the war in the Ordona Province spread, many people feared it would bring the destruction and downfall of the kingdom. Zelda was asked to make a public announcement, informing the people that Link and the rest of the soldiers were doing their best to contain the situation. She stood on the steps in front of the castle, and all the people of Castle Town were gathered in the courtyard.

"We needn't worry about this. Hyrule's most trusted defenders are fighting off the invasion as I speak to you," Zelda said loudly, addressing all of them. "This kingdom will not perish."

The people immediately erupted into chatter. Women whose husbands were soldiers broke down into tears. Young children screamed and wailed. The sound of all this made Zelda sick to her stomach.

"Princess!" A voice spoke out above the commotion. "Are you not worried in the least that Ganondorf and his army will pillage every last godforsaken province in Hyrule? Including this one, Lanayru?"

"Ganondorf's army may be strong," Zelda began, "but ours is stronger. I have abiding confidence in them that they shall succeed."

A weeping woman raised her voice. "But what if our husbands do not return to us? What if Master Link does not return to _you_? And what of your child? What of _all_ the children of Hyrule?"

Zelda's expression turned cold, and her eyes became hollow. She searched her mind for the right words to say to the poor woman, but she simply could not find any.

Impa, who was standing next to Zelda, gently touched her arm. "Zelda, would you like me to speak to them?" she asked.

Zelda responded slowly. "Yes…..please do."

Impa walked in front of Zelda and waved her hands in the air so the people would see her. "Citizens of Castle Town! Please, calm yourselves!" she yelled. Everyone fixed their eyes on her. Once she was certain they were all listening, she began to speak. "What do you all expect of Princess Zelda? She is doing all that she can in her condition, yet you fail to realize that. We must all have faith in her. What she says is truth, and for this reason I have no doubt in my mind that Link and the rest of the soldiers will come home safely. Please, listen to her." Once she was finished, she returned to Zelda's side.

The crowd had gone completely silent, and the only sound that could be heard was the wind blowing. Zelda took her place at the top of the steps once again. "Thank you," she said. "I carry a heavy burden knowing that you all depend upon me so much. But you are everything to me, and I promise…." Zelda's voice became softer and she tilted her head down. Her hands rested upon her stomach. When she lifted her head up, several people gasped, for her face had gone completely white. "I promise, that…" She couldn't get the words out. She felt as though someone had just thrown a rock at her head. She slowly moved a hand to her forehead, and her balance began to falter.

A woman in the crowd shrieked. "She's going to faint! Someone, do something!"

A nearby castle guard rushed over to where she was standing and caught her in his arms before she had a chance to fall to the ground. Zelda moaned softly, not yet unconscious. She said something, but the guard couldn't make it out.

"Zelda, sweetie?" Impa darted over to her. "Honey, are you alright? Can you speak?" she touched Zelda's cheek, which was burning hot. "Oh my!" she gasped. She turned to the people. "Everyone, please return to your usual activities. The princess will be just fine." Impa was lying through her teeth, and she hoped they wouldn't detect it. In truth, she had no idea whether Zelda would be just fine or not. Once everyone had left, she swiftly turned back to the guard. "Take her to her bedroom and lay her down immediately!" she ordered.

"Yes ma'am!" the guard answered, panicked. He rushed through the castle doors and up the stairs, cradling the now unconscious Zelda in his arms. He burst through the door to her room and gently laid her on the bed, just like Impa had asked. Then he knelt down beside the bed, his hands clasped together. "Please, Princess," he prayed. A tear ran down his cheek. "Please wake up. We need you." He took her hand in his own and kissed it gently. "Please," he said once more, and then he left the room.

Impa entered with Ilia in tow a few moments later. Ilia gasped loudly once she saw Zelda's almost lifeless body lying on the bed. Her face was still as white as new fallen snow. Impa sat down on the other side of the bed and laid the back of her hand upon Zelda's forehead. "She isn't as warm anymore. That's a good sign," she said, relieved. "We'll just give her a while to wake up." Suddenly, the Triforce symbol on the back of Zelda's hand flared with light.

"What's happening?" Ilia asked. She had taken a seat beside Impa. "Why is it doing that?"

"Of course," Impa said softly to herself. "The baby's Triforce is reaching its final stages in development, but in order to be completed, it had to take some of the power from Zelda. For a moment, the Princess lost all her power from the Triforce of Wisdom," she explained. "That's why she fainted. It shouldn't be too long before she wakes up now."Impa smiled and stroked Zelda's cheek.

Ilia breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness she'll be okay. Link would be lost without her." Without even thinking, she wrapped her arms tightly around Impa. Impa looked at her oddly, and cleared her throat. Ilia gasped and quickly apologized. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Impa! I don't know what came over me!"

Impa continued her odd look for a few more seconds, and then she laughed. "Oh Ilia," she said. "You're so fun to tease. Of course I don't mind you hugging me!"

Ilia looked confused. "You really don't?"

"Of course not. This is a joyous moment, after all," Impa smiled. "Come here." She gave Ilia a big hug. After a while, a thought occurred to her. "Ilia," she began, "Zelda asked me to be her midwife yesterday."

Ilia smiled brightly. "Oh Impa! How wonderful for you!" Her green eyes sparkled.

"But I certainly cannot do it alone," Impa continued on. "Bringing a baby into the world is a tough job, and it takes at least two people."

Ilia's eyes widened. "Are-are you asking me to help you?" she asked, bewildered.

Impa grinned widely. "Will you?"

Ilia couldn't contain her joy. "Are you kidding?! Of course I will!" she exclaimed. "Oh, this may be the happiest day of my life!" she hugged Impa again, nearly squeezing the life out of her.

"Okay, okay," Impa croaked.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Ilia withdrew.

Impa laughed. "It's alright." She tousled Ilia's short, blonde hair.

Just then, Zelda mumbled something quietly. Impa and Ilia turned their attention to her. Her eyes opened ever so slowly. "Impa," she whispered faintly, and then groaned. "What happened?"

Impa explained everything to her, not skipping out on a single detail. "We were very worried about you," she told her. "Why don't you check on the baby and make sure it's okay," she suggested.

Zelda nodded and positioned her hand upon her stomach. Light from the symbol flared up again. Zelda closed her eyes and, after a few moments, she smiled. "It's doing just fine," she said, her eyes still closed.

"Come," Impa whispered to Ilia. "Let's leave her be for a while." The two of them left the room.

When Zelda opened her eyes again, she was alone. She got out of bed and opened the door that led to a balcony. She rested her elbows upon the railing and looked down upon the courtyard and Castle Town. The people were bustling about, anxious to get their work done before the day ended. Zelda knew what she had to do. These people were worried sick about her, and she was sorry for all the trouble she had caused them. She inhaled deeply, and began to sing her sweet song.

Several of the people immediately stopped in their tracks as soon as the sound reached their ears. At first, they didn't believe it was her. Then they looked upward at the balcony, and saw their beloved princess standing there. The people waved and cheered. Children laughed and mothers cried tears of joy. "Hail, Princess Zelda!" A male voice called out.

"Hail, Princess Zelda!" Several others joined in. They continued chanting until Zelda had finished her song and went back inside. The people were overjoyed. Strangers were hugging strangers. Husbands kissed their wives and embraced their children. Everything was now right with the world.


	15. Chapter 15

**Alright guys, here's chapter 15! Remember if you've got questions, just leave them in the comments and I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability! Hope you enjoy this chapter! See you all in chapter 16! :)**

Link and Epona travelled swiftly through Hyrule Field and into the woods of the Faron Province. Ordon Village lied just a short distance beyond that. It was nearly nightfall when he and his horse arrived at the village. Several of Hyrule's soldiers were already there, talking with the people of the village and asking questions about the strange attacks. Link dismounted Epona and joined them.

"Link, my boy!" called Bo, Ilia's father and the mayor of Ordon Village. "We're so glad you're here! Some very peculiar things have been happening lately." He extended his hand to Link.

Link grabbed his hand and shook it. "What kinds of things?" he asked. "Have you seen Ganondorf himself?"

Bo's eyes went wide and he shook his head rapidly. "Oh no, not at all. Mainly just bokoblins. It's nothing too serious, but we sure are glad you could help us out."

Link's expression turned to confusion. "Really? Ganondorf hasn't been here at all?" He wondered why the soldier had told him the matter was so urgent.

"We haven't seen him," Bo answered. "But those bokoblins were looking for something. Luckily, Rusl was able to fend them off the first time they attacked." He spoke of the village's best swordsman, whom Link had been an apprentice to.

"Link!" Some of the children of the village were sprinting towards him. Link turned around and the kids tackled him.

"I can't believe that we have to be invaded by bokoblins just to see you!" said Beth, a girl of about 12.

"Yeah," chimed Talo, a mischievous boy who was the same age as Beth. "Ever since you married the princess, you've been neglecting us."

Link laughed. "I know. I don't come home that often, do I?" He knelt down and embraced all of them warmly. Then he looked up and saw another familiar face. It was Rusl's son, Colin. Colin had always looked up to Link, and told him that he would be a great swordsman too one day.

"Hi Link," he said softly. The kids turned around and looked at him. Colin had always been the oddball of the bunch. The other kids didn't hate him, but they did tend to avoid him as often as possible.

Link stood up and made his way over to him. "Hey, buddy," he said, then knelt down again to give him a big hug. "Watcha been up to?"

"Well," Colin began, "nothing much. I've been doing a lot of fishing."

"That's exciting," Link said. "Hey, isn't tomorrow your birthday?" he asked, smiling.

Colin's blue eyes lit up. "You bet it is!" He exclaimed. "You remembered after all this time?"

Link chuckled. "How could I forget my little brother's birthday?" He messed Colin's hair playfully. Just then, another little boy jumped into Link's arms.

"Oh boy! You're home!" shouted Malo, the youngest of the Ordon children at just five years old. Malo was Talo's brother, and wherever he went, Malo was determined to follow. Link used to save both of them from getting into trouble on a regular basis.

"So how's living in the castle, Link?" Beth asked, dreamily. She had always had a secret crush on him, and everyone knew it.

"Oh, give it a rest, Beth!" Talo said. "He's married now."

"I know that!" Beth retorted, rather defensively. Her cheeks flushed a light pink.

"What's the princess like?" asked Malo. "Is she as pretty as they say she is?"

Link smiled. "She's the most beautiful in Hyrule."

"My dad told us you're expecting a baby," Colin put in.

"He's right," Link said. "We sure are."

"Oh, how exciting!" Beth beamed. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"We won't find that out until it's born," Link told her. "But, I promise you kids can come see him or her anytime you want."

The kids cheered and they all thanked Link. They hugged him once more before they went off to their houses for the night. Link stood up and looked around the village. Not much had changed since he had been here last. There weren't any new faces he didn't recognize. He started to make his way over to Bo's house, when Rusl stopped him in his tracks.

"Link!" he called. "Come inside, boy. There's something we need to talk about." He turned back towards his house and ran inside. Link followed after him.

Once inside, they both sat down at the kitchen table. Rusl's wife, Uli, lit a fire and made them some tea, and they drank it slowly as they talked. "You realize how powerful this child of yours will be, right?" Rusl asked, cautiously. "We don't know what he or she will be able to do. If Ganondorf were to ever get hold of them..." his voice trailed away. The soft glow of the fireplace created a solemn, yet eerie mood.

Link nodded his head slowly. "I understand how serious this is," he said. "I've been watching Zelda like a hawk for the past five months. I had my misgivings about leaving her behind, but I know she is protected."

Uli sat down at the table with them. "I wish there was something I could do for her," she said remorsefully. "Pregnancy is something a woman shouldn't have to go through alone."

"The bokoblins that have been coming here," Rusl began, changing the subject, "they've been sent by Ganondorf. Apparantly, we have something he wants. We believe it has something to do with the baby."

"Do you have any idea at all what it might be?" Link asked. He took a nervous sip of his tea.

Rusl lowered his head for a moment and searched his mind for a clue. After a while, he looked up. There was great realization in his eyes. "That's it," he said. He stood up and swiftly walked over to a nearby chest. He unlocked it with a key he took out from his pocket, and rummaged around in it for the object he was looking for. "Ganondorf is looking for this." He held up a strange-looking pendant, attached to a long, golden chain. "This is the Amulet of Obedience," he said, taking his seat at the table again, "and I believe I know now why Ganondorf wants possession of it."

Rusl handed the amulet to Link, and he examined it carefully. The amulet was deep green in color, but when held up to the light, it reflected hints of purple. "Is it an emerald?" Link asked.

"No. It's a very rare kind of opal," Rusl answered. "Thousands of years ago, the ancient sages were in possession of this stone. But one day, someone stole it, and they dropped it from the heavens to the earth. As a result, it was possessed by dark magic. My grandfather found it one day when he was washing his face in the river. It's been in our family's possession ever since."

Link continued to appraise the stone. It was absolutely beautiful. He soon found that he could not take his eyes off of it, and he was entranced by its allure. Rusl gasped and hastily swept it out of his hands. Link was immediately brought back to reality.

"Be careful, Link!" Rusl warned. "This stone is very powerful. If you gaze upon it for too long, you fall victim to its spell."

"What exactly is its spell?" Link asked, ashamed of his foolishness.

Rusl told Uli to grab a cloth and bring it to him. She did as he asked, and he wrapped the amulet inside it. "The Amulet of Obedience does just what it's named for. Whoever wears it is forced to follow the orders of the person who bestows it upon them."

"The bokoblins will come to look for it again," Uli said, "and when they find it, they'll bring it to Ganondorf."

"Then we'll make sure they do not find it," Rusl told her. "If he gets it, he may steal the child and use it on them."

Link's eyes grew wide. "We have to stop him!" He exclaimed. He stood up and prepared to make a run towards the door, but Rusl grabbed hold of his arm.

"Calm down, Link," he said. "You cannot be impulsive about this." He asked Link to sit back down, and he did. Rusl smiled. "You are still a boy in many ways," he said. "We will ready ourselves for another attack tomorrow. In the meantime, we all could benefit from a good night's sleep."

Link nodded his head in agreement. "Goodnight, Rusl," he said.

"Goodnight, my boy," Rusl hugged him and patted him on the back.

Link left Rusl's house and made his way over to the far end of the village where his old house was. He opened the door and slowly walked inside. Everything was exactly how he left it. The furnishings had a thick layer of dust on them, but otherwise, nothing was out of the ordinary. It appeared that no one had been in his house since he left. He lit a fire for warmth, and then climbed a ladder to get up to an alcove where his bed was. He opened a makeshift dresser that stood next to his bed, and took out a nightshirt. He undressed and put it on, then crawled into the bed. He lied awake for a very long time before he finally fell asleep.

"You really didn't have to do this, Impa," Zelda said, looking into her mirror while she took the braids out of her hair.

"Nonsense, of course I did," Impa told her. She had brought a cot up to Zelda's room and would sleep there with her until Link returned. "I promised Link I'd look after you." She set the cot down on the floor beside the bed, and unfolded it.

Zelda ran a brush through her hair once it was all unbraided. "How long do you think it'll take?" she asked.

"Before what, Sweetie?" Impa questioned. She had begun untying the back of Zelda's dress.

"How long do you think it'll be before Link comes home?" she repeated her question, being a bit more specific. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, and her face did not look the same to her.

Impa looked into the mirror with her and she rested her chin upon Zelda's shoulder. "That pretty face tells me you've been worrying a lot lately," she said tenderly. "I'm sure Link is in Ordon Village by now, safe and sound."

Zelda heaved a deep sigh. "I still worry about him," she said.

"I know," Impa said softly. She took Zelda's hands and positioned them so that they were on her stomach, and then she laid her own hands on top of them. "I know how much you love him, and this little angel inside of you."

Zelda looked down at Impa's hands and smiled. She turned around and embraced her nurse. "I didn't know my mother," she said, almost crying ,"but you've always been there for me. You've been like a real mother to me all this time."

Impa held her close, and gently kissed her forehead. She told Zelda to turn around and she finished untying her dress. Then she grabbed her nightgown off the bed and helped her put it on. "Alright," she said once she had finished. "Let's get to sleep now."

Zelda lied down in her bed and pulled the covers up around her. It was much colder in her room than usual. Impa closed the wood shutters over the windows, latched them, and then lied down on her cot. She started snoring just seconds after her head hit the pillow. Zelda, on the other hand, stared up at the ceiling, her mind far too overrun by thoughts to even consider sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Alright, here's Chapter 16! I really hope you guys enjoy this one. It made me tear up a little bit. Not that it's sad, it just kinda tugs at the heart strings a bit, I guess. At least, my heartstrings anyway haha! Please follow, favorite, or comment telling me what you think. I LOVE getting feedback from you guys! Chapter 17 is on the way! :)

Zelda breathed softly as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Her mind was still at work, however, weaving an intricate and detailed dream. She and Link were sitting on a cliff at the southern edge of Hyrule Field. They were talking and laughing, and she was no longer pregnant . Suddenly, a small figure came running towards them. It was too far away to make out what it was. The figure shouted something happily to them, and its voice was that of a small child's. Zelda and Link stood up, getting ready to embrace the child. They each opened their arms lovingly, but soon something awful happened. The puffy, white clouds in the sky turned black as charcoal, and the ground began to shake. The child running towards them stopped in its tracks. Link looked up at the sky, and a giant kagarok swooped down and latched onto his tunic. He tried to fight it off, but was swiftly carried away, screaming to his wife as the bird-like creature dropped him over the edge of the cliff.

"Link!" Zelda cried. She turned her attention to her child, who stood frozen yet a hundred yards from her. Then the ground between them opened up, creating a large, deep rift. "Stay where you are!" Zelda called to the child.

"Mommy!" The child's panicked voice pierced the skies. The child started to run towards the rift, nearly falling off the edge once they got to the end.

"Don't move!" Zelda shouted. Then she saw a sight that truly terrified her. It was Ganondorf, standing behind the child, towering over them like a building. The child turned around and screamed, and was quickly scooped up by Ganondorf's massive hands. He laughed manically. "You lose, Princess!" he called as he warped away, a cloud of dark purple enveloping him and the child.

"No!" Zelda shrieked. She ran towards them and leaped over the rift. She didn't think she would make it, but her hands gripped the earth on the other side. She held on tightly for dear life, but it was no use. The ground she was holding onto started to crumble, and in a matter of seconds, she found herself plummeting to her death. She screamed one last time, and closed her eyes tightly, bracing for impact...

Zelda's eyes darted open and she swiftly sat up in bed, covered in a cold sweat. She was completely out of breath, every gasp of air a struggle. The sound of her heavy breathing awakened Impa, who immediately came rushing to her side.

"Zelda! Are you alright?" she said hastily. She tore away Zelda's blankets and pried her legs apart.

Zelda was completely taken-a-back with what she was doing. "Impa!" she said defensively. "What in Hyrule do you think you're doing?"

Impa looked confused. "What do you mean? I'm prepping you for labor," she said.

Zelda looked at her like she was crazy. "Impa, I'm not in labor," she said plainly.

"Are you sure?" Impa asked. "You're breathing really hard. You're not feeling any contractions at all?"

"I think I would know if I was in labor!" Zelda snapped at her. She immediately regretted her strong tone of voice and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, Impa," she apologized. "I just had a really bad dream."

Impa sighed and sat down beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked tenderly, running her hand over Zelda's back. Her touch was warm against Zelda's freezing body.

"No, I'd rather not," Zelda replied softly. She slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed, grabbed the bedpost for support, and pulled herself up. She did not allow Impa to help her. She walked over to the windows and unlocked the shutters. The sun was just slightly peeking over the mountains. "Do you think we could take a stroll around Castle Town today, Impa?" Zelda asked, gazing out at the beauty that was Hyrule.

Impa stood and joined her by the window. She gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Of course we can, as long as we ask some of the guards to join us. I'm still very cautious about this whole thing," she said. "But I do think you could use some sunshine. It'll help get the color back in your cheeks." She stroked Zelda's face lightly.

Zelda beamed, her face lit up with delight. "Oh, thank you!" she exclaimed, and threw her arms around Impa, who did the same.

Impa informed four of the castle guards of their plans for the day and they all met in the courtyard a few hours later.

"Princess, are you sure you're up for this?" one of them asked. "Won't you be tired?"

"I simply must get out of the castle for a while," she answered him kindly. "Please do not worry about me."

They began walking and entered the busy streets of Castle Town. The main square was flocked with people, all of them rushing around as if they had someplace to be. Some people did not notice Zelda and her entourage right away, but those who did immediately made it known to all, and soon they were the center of attention. The people did not crowd them, however, for they didn't want to risk harm against Zelda and the baby. They simply smiled, waved, and went on with their business.

They walked through the main square and down a quiet street without much activity. There were no shops on this street, only small cottages. Impa and Zelda were busy chatting with each other, when a little girl with reddish-brown hair approached them. She came quickly at first, then she slowed down as she got closer to Zelda. She came to a halt when she was about a foot away from her.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," the girl said softly. There was a bit of fear in her voice. "I was just on my way to the square. My mama gave me a shiny rupee to toss in the fountain for good luck." The girl was clearly nervous and scared out of her mind.

Zelda smiled warmly and slowly got down on her knees. Unlike most royalty, she was not rude and ungrateful. She truly cared about the people she governed, and would do anything for them. Kneeling down put a lot of strain on her back, but she didn't mind it.

"There's no need to be afraid, little one," she said in a gentle, motherly voice which she had secretly been practicing. "What's your name?" she asked.

The girl looked at the ground and hesitated a bit before answering her. After some time, she looked up into Zelda's eyes. "My name's Tarra," she said, her bluish purple eyes twinkling. Then a smile slowly crept across her lovely, little face. She took Zelda's hand in her own, and examined the Triforce mark. "It's really pretty," she said happily.

Zelda chuckled. "So are you, Tarra."

Tarra looked up at Zelda again. "But you're the prettiest of all. My mama says so. She loves it when you sing. She says it's the most beautiful sound in Hyrule," she told her. "My mama's real pretty too, at least, I think so. She looks just like me, except...older."

Zelda grinned fondly. "Your mother sounds lovely," she said, squeezing the child's hand lightly.

Tarra's eyes drifted down to Zelda's stomach. "Is there really a baby in there?" she asked curiously.

Zelda laughed. "Yes, there is."

Tarra's eyes brightened and she got an excited look on her face. "Can-can I listen to it?" She looked at Zelda with pleading eyes.

Zelda was surprised a bit, but she conceded to the child's request anyway. Tarra giggled and leaned in close, putting her ear up against Zelda's stomach. As Tarra listened, Zelda was overtaken by a warm, pleasant feeling that she had not yet experienced. Suddenly, she felt more than ready to be a mother.

"It sounds happy," Tarra said gleefully. Then she looked up at Zelda and smiled. "Wait'll I tell my mama about this! This was so exciting!" Tarra threw her little arms around Zelda and embraced her tightly. Zelda did the same, hoping she would see this delightful little girl again someday.

"Tarra!" A female voice called from behind them. Zelda looked up and saw a young woman who she assumed was Tarra's mother, making her way towards them.

Tarra turned around and ran towards her mother, giggling as she did so. "Mama! The Princess is so nice! She let me hear the baby!" She leaped into her mother's arms.

Zelda put her hand against the hard cobblestone street for support and pushed herself up off the ground. The woman set Tarra down and walked over to Zelda. "I'm so terribly sorry if she was a bother to you, Your Highness," she apologized, bowing her head.

Zelda smiled. "Nonsense. She's a wonderful girl. And she's certainly made my day a thousand times better." Zelda glanced over at Tarra, who was fiddling with a rock she found on the street. "You are very lucky to have her as a daughter."

"Thank you, Princess," the woman said. She started to leave, then stopped and turned back around. "Please, take care of yourself, Princess. I will pray to the goddesses that you may have a safe delivery."

"Thank you very much," Zelda said. "Take care. And tell Tarra I'll see her again sometime."

The woman smiled and nodded. She bowed once again before she departed, and took her daughter's hand. Tarra looked back and waved to Zelda as they walked away. Zelda smiled and waved back, and she knew she would remember this moment for the rest of her life.


	17. Chapter 17

Ladies and gentlemen! I give you...Chapter 17! This one took me forever to write! So much action! :P Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and follow/favorite or comment telling me what you think! I love getting feedback from you guys, so don't be shy! Chapter 18 coming soon! :)

"We need to have a strong front line around the entrance to the village. That way the bokoblins will have a tougher time getting in," Link explained to the Hylian soldiers. They were all gathered in the center of the village, carefully listening and heeding Link's words. It was almost noon, and blistering hot. Link wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Maybe this intense heat will make them think twice about attacking."

"Nothing's going to stop those bokoblins," Rusl spoke up. "I think these particular ones have been trained by Ganondorf himself. It's not in their nature to randomly attack a village, unless they run out of food."

"Rusl is right," said Mayor Bo. "And the last time I checked, the field that's a few miles away is full of pumpkins and deku nuts."

Rusl nodded. "Ganondorf has definitely sent them. We must protect that amulet at all costs."

"All right, men," Link spoke louder than before. "Go to your battle positions!"

The soldiers saluted him. Some hurried off to the main gate of the village, while others took positions behind trees and bushes. A few of them remained where they were, as they were the most skilled of the soldiers, and Link had told them to stay put. Link gave his last orders to the remaining soldiers, then called for Epona. The obedient horse came galloping towards him, and he mounted her.

"Prepare for battle men! We may be here all day, but we must be ready!" Link shouted. Rusl stood beside Link and Epona, sword in hand.

"Rusl!" Uli called to him. "Please be careful!" She was clearly worried, for Ordon Village had never seen a conflict quite like this before. Colin stepped out from beside her then, and started running towards his father.

"Papa!" He called. "I wanna help!"

Rusl looked too shocked for words. "Absolutely not, Colin!" He said sharply. "Get back inside the house, now!"

"But Papa-" Colin began.

"I said now!" Rusl yelled.

Just then, loud cries were heard from the soldiers at the gate. A massive herd of bokoblins had broken through the front lines, and was heading straight for the village.

"Rusl!" Link called. "Get Colin to safety!" He gave Epona a sharp kick and galloped towards the herd, unsheathing his sword and slashing any bokoblins he could see.

"Papa!" Colin screamed. He grabbed his father's hand.

"Come on, son!" Rusl said. He began to run towards the house, pulling Colin along behind him. "Just a little further, Colin!" he said.

"Papa, I'm scared!" Colin cried. He ran behind his father, still latched onto his hand. His attention turned to the panicked village, and then to a bokoblin archer standing atop a hill.

Rusl stopped for a second to survey the damage that had been done so far. He looked around and saw that several of the soldiers already lied on the ground dead. "What's happened to the peace here?" He asked himself.

Colin watched as the archer drew back an arrow. He noticed the angle of trajectory, and realized that the bokoblin was aiming right at his father. He drew in a deep breath of air. "Papa, look out!" he cried, and used all the strength he had in his little body to push his father out of the way.

Rusl saw the whole thing happen as if in slow motion. He fell to the ground, then looked up at his son. The arrow had pierced him right in the middle of his stomach. Colin fell backwards from the impact, and lay lifeless on the ground.

"Colin!" Rusl coughed. "My son!" He pulled himself up off the ground and scooped Colin up in his arms. He ran so fast to his house that he nearly tripped.

"Uli!" He shouted, flinging the door open. "Colin's been hit with an arrow!"

"What?" Uli rushed over to him and gasped when she saw Colin. "Oh! My baby!" She cried and sank down to the floor with her face in her hands, grieving.

"There's a chance he might still be alive, but we need to hurry!" Rusl brought Colin over to his bed and gently laid him down. Uli stood up and hurried to find bandages and the nectar of a goponga flower, which she always made sure she had a good supply of. The nectar of a goponga flower could cure any ailment. She retrieved a jar of the flowers and squeezed one of them until the nectar oozed out. Then she rushed over to Colin, took off his shirt, and carefully removed the arrow. She gently massaged the nectar over his wound.

"Uli," Rusl said softly. "He'll be okay. I know he will."

Uli managed a weak smile, her eyes still glossy with tears. "You're always right."

Link and the soldiers were becoming more and more outnumbered with each minute that passed. The bokoblins just kept coming into the village, and Link wasn't sure where they were all coming from. He rode around the village with Epona, and tried to kill as many as he could, but it was simply no use. "Where are they all coming from?" he asked himself aloud. Then he commanded his horse to speed up. He drove her straight into a mob of about ten of them, hoping to defeat them all with his special spin technique. Instead, Epona reared up onto her hind legs in fear, and he was thrown off of her. The frightened horse ran straight for the Ordon Ranch, which was nestled at the south end of the village. "Epona!" he called, but she was almost immediately out of sight. The mob was slowly approaching him. Link scooted himself away from them, but soon backed into a wall of rock. He was cornered, and there was no way around them. The only way was to fight.

"Link!" The voice of Mayor Bo called out in the distance.

"Bo?!" Link was astounded. "What are you doing out here? Get inside your house!" He was still pressed up against the wall.

Bo ran towards Link as fast as he could, which wasn't very fast because Link guessed the man had to weigh at least 350 pounds. He took out a longsword from behind his back. With a quick movement of his arm, he sliced through four of the bokoblins at one time. Then he did the same thing again, this time slashing all the remaining ones. Once they were all dead, he extended his hand to Link and pulled him off the ground.

Link didn't quite know what to say. He never expected to see anything like that out of Bo. He got to his feet, and stared at Bo for a few seconds before he finally said something. "That was impressive."

"You looked like you needed help, my boy," Bo said, smiling.

Link smiled back at him. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard from the center of the village. The sky turned a dark purple color, and the air became cold. Link and Bo turned their attention to the center, and noticed that an enormous ball of glowing amethyst energy emanated from it.

"What is that?" Bo asked nervously.

Link stared at the energy ball. His expression turned grave. "I think I know," he said. He slowly approached the center, and drew his sword.

"Link," a low voice rumbled inside the energy ball. "Face me." The ball began to lower itself further to the ground, and slowly faded away. When it was gone, the only thing that was left was the evil king himself.

"Ganondorf," Link said in a bitter tone. "You should've learned your lesson by now. Isn't it obvious that you always lose?" He cracked a bit of a smile when he said this.

"My, my, aren't we vain?" Ganondorf mused. "I assure you this battle will have a different outcome." He unsheathed his sword, the second most powerful blade in all of Hyrule, next to the Master Sword, which Link held in his hand. "I will kill you, Link," he sneered. "And then your pregnant wife will be mine!" He laughed maniacally. "But don't worry. I'll take good care of her." The corners of his mouth turned up into a twisted smile.

"I'll never let that happen!" Link yelled. He raised his sword and attempted a strike at Ganondorf, but he simply deflected it with his dark magic. Link was forcefully sent backwards and collided with the ground.

"You can do better than this, can't you?" Ganondorf asked sarcastically. "Married life really has made you soft."

Link tried to push himself up, but he found that all his strength had been drained from him. "What have you done?" He coughed.

Ganondorf laughed. "My magic has grown stronger since we fought last, foolish Link. I have just taken your energy from you and made it mine. You are weak, and therefore you cannot stop me from getting that amulet!" He approached Link, and gave him a sharp kick to the chest, which made him gasp for air.

"No!" Link croaked. He tried to get up again, but his arms gave out, and he fell into unconsciousness. The last thing he saw was Ganondorf walking towards Rusl's house.

Ganondorf approached the house stealthily. There were a few soldiers still left standing, but they were new recruits and were too afraid to do anything. Ganondorf kicked down the door, and saw Rusl and Uli sitting around Colin's bed. Rusl immediately stood up and drew his sword, but Ganondorf simply pushed him out of the way.

"Where's the amulet?" He demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Uli clucked.

Ganondorf knew she was lying. He grabbed her neck with one of his giant hands. "I know you have it! Where is it?!" He was practically choking her now.

Uli struggled for breath. She didn't want to give up so easily. "We...don't...have...it," she managed to choke out.

"Hmmm," Ganondorf thought. Then he took out his sword and held it over Rusl, who was still on the floor. "Perhaps you'll talk if I kill your husband..."

"No!" Uli gasped. She didn't know what to do. Eventually, however, she gave Ganondorf the vital information. "It's in the chest over there. The key is underneath it..."she conceded.

Ganondorf immediately dropped her, and grabbed the key out from underneath the chest. He unlocked it and dug around for the amulet. When he found it, he turned to Uli. "Thank you for being so cooperative." He chuckled and left the house.

"Wait! No!" Uli screamed, regretting her decision. Rusl stood and helped her up.

"Darling, have no fear," he said reassuringly. "I would have done the same for you."

"He got the amulet," Uli said faintly. She collapsed into her husband's arms. "Hyrule doesn't stand a chance now."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 is finally here! I've really been procrastinating in getting this one out haha! I haven't really been all that motivated to write lately. Actually, I'm already drafting ideas for the sequel, and I shouldn't be doing that yet! :P Anyway, hope you guys like this chapter! Follow or favorite and please REVIEW! It always brightens my day when I read what you guys have to say! :) Chapter 19 soon to come! Enjoy!**

"Finally, the Amulet of Obedience is mine! Now no one shall stand in my way!" Ganondorf gloated. He and his soldiers had arrived back at his castle, and were celebrating their victory.

"You truly are amazing, Lord Ganondorf!" one of the soldiers cheered him. "Hyrule will certainly fall once you have Princess Zelda and the child in your grasp!"

Ganondorf smiled. "That reminds me. Go and get my things together. I plan to attack tonight once the sun sets."

The soldiers did as they were told, and ran off to gather Ganondorf's supplies. Ganondorf sat down in his throne, and held the beautiful amulet up to the light. "Such divine beauty," he said softly. Then he thought of an idea. "Guards!" he called out.

"Yes, Lord Ganondorf?" A few of them returned to the throne room just seconds after being summoned.

"Go fetch Lyn for me, will you?" he asked of them, still smiling at the amulet. "I need to teach that young lady discipline."

"Yes, sir!" the guards answered him. They returned a few moments later, holding the poor, defenseless Lyn in their grasp. Lyn came quietly with them, as she had learned it unwise to lash out at them. They threw her upon the hard, stone floor, and she landed with a soft groan. She looked up at Ganondorf weakly. Her once beautiful face had become even paler than before, and her figure had gotten so thin she looked as if she would snap in half. Her piercing green eyes had become dull and hollow.

"What do you want?" she asked dryly, her voice had changed too. She sounded as though she had aged twenty years.

Ganondorf stood and offered his hand to her. Lyn just looked at it doubtfully, not wanting to take it. "Will you not take my hand, Lyn?" he asked her. He sounded a bit more "caring" than usual.

Lyn continued to stare at his outstretched hand for a while longer before finally deciding to put her own hand in his. He gently pulled her up off the ground. Once she was standing up, Ganondorf looked her up and down, much like he had the first time he saw her, only not with as much lust in his eyes. "I fear I have made you uncomfortable here, Lyn," he said. "Such a beautiful woman deserves better."

Lyn gave him a look of pure distrust. She was not going to be fooled again. "What are you trying to say?" she asked.

Ganondorf smiled. "I have a proposition for you, Lyn." he took her hand again, and she fliched. "Seeing you in this state troubles me greatly, and I simply cannot look at you like this any longer." he continued on. "I would certainly treat you much better, if you were," he paused and leaned in close to her, "my wife!"

Lyn's face contorted in disgust. "I will never marry you!" she snarled.

Ganondorf pulled her frail body close to his and she let out a small gasp. "Think, Lyn. You and I would rule this land together. You would have more power than you could ever imagine. You could be the mother to Zelda's child," he tempted, toying with her emotions.

Lyn's eyes narrowed and she pulled away from him. "Never! I may want to be a mother more than anything in the world, but I will certainly not take another woman's child for my own! Especially if you plan to kill Princess Zelda and raise the poor thing for your evil deeds!" she accused.

Ganondorf frowned. "Fine. Guards!" the guards scurried over to where they were standing. "Take her back to the dungeons! And give her nothing to eat for three days," he ordered.

"Certainly, Lord Ganondorf!" the guards grabbed Lyn by her arms again and guided her out of the room. Lyn did not struggle. She simply gave Ganondorf the most hateful scowl she had in her, and turned to be led away.

Ganondorf blew off her scowl, and sat down in his thrown. He closed his eyes, hoping to take a short nap before he left for Hyrule Castle, but was interrupted by a band of guards who then entered the throne room.

"We've gathered all your things and have saddled your horse, Lord Ganondorf," one of them reported. "It's almost sundown."

"My, time does fly when one's having fun," Ganondorf chuckled. "I suppose I should be on my way then." He stood up and made his way to the large front door. The guards all lined up to wish him luck. If he succeeded, the kingdom of Hyrule was that much closer to its downfall.

Link opened his eyes slowly to find he was looking up at Uli's face. He was in their house, lying on a bed. "What's happened?" he asked groggily.

"Rusl! He's awake!" Uli called to her husband. Rusl came running over to the bed and knelt down beside it.

"Link, my boy!" he said happily. "Oh, thank the goddesses you're alright!" He pulled Link up for a hug.

"Rusl?" Link said weakly. "What's going on? What happened to me?" He studied his hands, noticing several scrapes and bruises.

"Link," Rusl's voice was suddenly more tenacious. "Ganondorf has taken the amulet."

Link's mouth was agape. "What?" he sputtered. Then he got up from the bed quickly, ignoring the spinning sensation in his head.

"You must hurry back to Zelda, Link!" Rusl said. "Ganondorf is probably on the move already. Without you, Zelda has no protection. She is weak."'

Link felt a great amount of anger building up inside of him. "He's not taking her! I won't let him!" He rushed toward the door and bolted through it. "Epona!" he called for his horse. She came galloping towards him, as fast as her strong legs could go. She came to an abrupt halt in front of Link, and he mounted her stealthily. "Don't you ever chicken out like that again, you hear me?" he snapped.

Epona let out a soft whinny, as if to say, "I'm sorry."

Link patted her neck. "Good girl. Now off to the castle! And quickly, Epona!" The horse let out a strong neigh, and darted off into the woods.

Rusl rushed outside as soon as he heard them take off. "Hurry Link!" he shouted. "For Zelda's sake!"


	19. Chapter 19

**So now that school's out I have a bit more time to write, so hopefully this story will be finished soon! This chapter was incredibly difficult to write, because I couldn't decide how to end it. So I hope you guys like this one, and the rest of the story. Follow, favorite, and or review! See you all in chapter 20! :)**

Zelda stood outside on her balcony staring up at the night sky. It was late, long after midnight, but she was having trouble sleeping. She had managed to leave the room without waking Impa, which was usually a monumental task, since Impa was such a light sleeper. But tonight she'd had a bit too much to drink at dinner, and nothing would wake her. Zelda was grateful for this, because she needed some air. She admired the stars, how beautiful they were tonight. She placed her hands upon her abdomen and caressed it gently, humming a soft lullaby. The nighttime air was so peaceful. The only sound that could be heard were crickets chirping ever so quietly. It was absolutely perfect. Zelda frowned then. The only thing that could make this better was if Link were there by her side. She wondered when he would be coming home. She closed her eyes for a few moments to think. When she opened them, she saw a dark figure on horseback galloping towards the castle. Her heart immediately leaped inside her chest. "Link!" she beamed. She couldn't believe it. Her prayers had been answered. The figure came closer and closer until it was just outside the castle gates. Zelda ran back inside her room to fix her hair, which was a little matted. She quietly slipped over to her mirror and brushed through the mess. When she had finished, she heard the sound of a grappling hook latching onto the balcony ledge. She smiled. Link must've wanted to surprise her. She put down her brush and made her way back over to the balcony door. She gingerly grabbed the knob and pulled the door open quick, hoping to catch Link off guard instead. What she saw when she opened the door, however, would haunt her for the rest of her life...

Zelda gasped as she stumbled back towards her room. She tripped over her own feet and fell to the floor, crying out with pain from the fall.

He stood and towered over her, chuckling with delight. "Hello, Zelda," his deep, raspy voice said. "You could be happier to see me," he said sarcastically.

"Ganondorf," Zelda spat. "Aren't you enough of a pervert already without breaking into a woman's bedroom?" her eyes narrowed, but the anger she expressed was fake. She was actually paralyzed with fear.

Ganondorf laughed. "Technically, I didn't break in." He got down on the floor and took her chin in his hand. "You let me in, my dear."

Zelda pulled her face away. "Impa!" she called out, now in a sure state of panic. "Impa, please wake up!" She was screaming now, as Ganondorf's hand reached for her stomach. She grabbed hold of his hand and tried to fight off his advances, but he was too strong, and she had little fight left in her. Suddenly, she let out a loud, blood-curdling scream. Impa's eyes darted open, and she immediately looked to the source of the scream.

"Zelda!" She shrieked, rushing over to her. "Let her go, Ganondorf!" she snarled, grabbing hold of his arms.

Ganondorf simply laughed, and he took out the amulet from his pocket. He held it up so she could see it.

"What do you expect to do with that?" Impa asked, almost laughing from how ridiculous it seemed.

Zelda stared at the amulet, and then her eyes widened. "Impa, that's the Amulet of Obedience!"

Impa shot her a confused look. "The what?" Then Ganondorf pulled her hands off his arms and placed the amulet around her neck. Impa's eyes rolled back in her hand, and all that could be seen were the whites. Her body became rigid, and she stood up straight.

"Good," Ganondorf purred. "Now, Impa," he said, "Get her."

"Yes, Master," Impa answered in a monotone voice. She began to walk towards Zelda.

Zelda pulled herself up off the floor, using all the strength she had. Impa reached her, and grabbed her wrist. Zelda screamed again. "Impa, no! Don't do this, please!" Her breathing became labored. "Fight it, Impa!" When Impa still came towards her, Zelda raised a trembling fist, and gave Impa a sharp blow to the face. She hated what she had done, but she had to do it.

Impa stumbled backwards, then raised her own fist and swung at Zelda. Zelda managed to avoid her by sidestepping. Impa raised her fist again, and this time, Zelda wasn't so lucky. Impa hit her square in the chest, and knocked the air out of her completely. Zelda collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air.

"Good, Impa," Ganondorf's voice floated above Zelda's head. He grabbed onto Zelda's waist with one hand, and slid the amulet off of Impa's neck with the other. Impa immediately fell on her knees and held her face in her hands. Ganondorf tightened his grip around Zelda's waist and slung her over his shoulder. She moaned a little as she neared unconsciousness. Ganondorf carried her out onto the balcony and scaled the castle wall with his grappling hook. Once he got onto the ground, he thrust Zelda up onto his horse, tying her in place with the reins. Zelda lifted up her head and took sight of where she was.

"Impa!" she screamed. Then Ganondorf got up onto his massive horse and covered her mouth with a long piece of cloth. She continued to scream through it, no matter how muffled it was. Ganondorf slapped her across the face, and her eyes flooded with tears.

"Make another sound and I'll slit your throat!" he threatened, holding a knife in his hand.

Zelda turned away from him, and was silent. Her tears soaked the cloth around her mouth, and she fought back sobs. Ganondorf gave his horse a violent kick, and it roared to life, swiftly carrying both of them off into the distance. Zelda glanced back at her castle, and the tears didn't stop.

Ilia bolted down the corridors and up the flight of stairs to Zelda's room. "Zelda?" she called as she ran. "Are you okay?" She came to Zelda's door and pushed it open. She gasped when she saw Impa still on her knees. "Impa?" she asked, touching her shoulder.

Impa looked up at her, and realization came flooding back. "Oh, Ilia!" she coughed. "Oh it's terrible! It's the most terrible thing that's ever happened!"

Ilia helped Impa to her feet, then looked around the room for Zelda. "Where's Zelda?" she asked.

Impa burst into tears. "She's been captured by Ganondorf!" She flung her arms around Ilia.

"What?!" Ilia squeaked. "Oh no!" She held Impa in her arms, and patted her back. "We have to inform the guards."

"What good will they do? They didn't even show up when they heard her screaming!" Impa said.

Just then, they heard the sound of a horse outside. Ilia rushed to the balcony to look at who it was. Her head spun around and her face was white. "It's Link."

Impa was still crying. "Oh, what a horrible thing for him to come home to," she reached into her pocket and took out a handkerchief.

"Come on, Impa," Ilia took her hand. "Let's meet him at the door and tell him together."

Link hurriedly unsaddled Epona and ran as fast as he could toward the castle. When he opened the door, he noticed both Impa and Ilia walking slowly down the stairs, both their heads were bowed. Link rushed over to them. "Impa! Ilia! What's happened?" he asked, very short of breath. "Where's Zelda?" He had taken hold of Impa shoulders, and she started weeping again. Link's face became distraught. "What's happened? Did Zelda go into labor? Is the baby okay?" His questions tumbled out of his mouth. He looked at Ilia with the most worried eyes she had ever seen.

"Link," she began, drawing in a deep breath. "Ganondorf came, and-" she choked up and tears began to form in her eyes. "Link, he took her. And the baby." She wept openly now.

Link stared at her blankly for a moment, as if not processing what was just said to him. But he heard and understood every word. After a moment, he fell onto his knees and began to cry violently. "No," he uttered in between sobs. "Not my Zelda. Not my family."

Ilia got down onto her knees and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. "Link, we'll get her back. Don't worry. Everything will be okay."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 is here! I've really been in a writing mood lately haha! I'm trying to finish up this story as fast as possible because I don't want to forget my ideas for the end! It's almost here! Just a couple chapters left! I hope you guys like this one! As usual, follow, favorite and review! See you all in chapter 21! :)**

"It was just the most bazaar thing," Impa told Link. "One moment, I was perfectly fine, trying to pry Ganondorf's hands away from Zelda. Then he took out that amulet, and the next thing I knew, I was on my knees." She had stopped her heavy weeping and was now only sniffling a little. "I must have been possessed by that accursed thing. Oh, I hope I didn't do any harm to Zelda!" She reached for Link once again, and gripped him tightly. Link moved his hands over her back in a slow, circular motion.

"The Amulet of Obedience has strong powers, Impa," he told her, still fighting back tears of his own. "If you did hurt Zelda in any way, I forgive you. You were not in control of yourself." He moved his head back a ways to look into her eyes, and she smiled slightly.

"Thank you," she whispered. Then she became sullen again. "I let you down, Link. I wasn't able to keep her safe. I failed you." She inhaled deeply and began to cry again.

Link held her close to him. "I have failed too, Impa," he said softly, silent tears running down his face. "She trusted me with two lives, and I let both of them down." Impa looked shocked. He was speaking as though Zelda and the baby were dead.

"Link!" she snapped, suddenly feeling assertive again. "We cannot assume the worst! If we do, all is lost for sure!" With that, she grabbed Ilia's hand in hers, and turned to face Link. "You need to bring her back home, Link. All this commotion could send her into premature labor. She still has a few weeks left!"

Link looked at Impa, and he knew she was right. He felt ashamed for being so pessimistic about the situation. "You're right, Impa," he said confidently. "I'll bring Zelda and my baby home!" He turned to walk out the door, but Ilia touched his shoulder gently.

"Please bring yourself home safely too, Link," she said. "The Gods know this land would be nothing without you." Then she smiled slightly, giving the young man a friendly pat on the back. Link returned the smile, then continued to walk out the door. He whistled for Epona again, and she came galloping over to him. He gave her a pat on the neck, then climbed up onto her back. Impa and Ilia had walked outside with him. The sky was still dark, and it had begun to rain. Link gave Epona the kick that signaled to go, and she took off running.

"Be careful, Link!" Impa shouted after him. Then she turned to Ilia and put her arms around her. The two of them stood outside in the rain long after he was gone.

Zelda lifted her head up slowly. She had fallen asleep on the way to Ganondorf's castle, and was completely unaware of what had happened. She took note of her surroundings, and realized she was in Ganondorf's throne room. Her head turned towards her left hand. Her wrist was encased by a thick band of metal, and was attached to a chain about three feet long. She noticed her right hand was the same way. She pulled away from the wall, knowing it was no use trying to escape. Even if she were not giving half her energy to her unborn child, she still would not be strong enough to break chains like these. Sweat began to form all over her body, and she felt very hot and uncomfortable. She shifted her body a little, trying to get herself into a position that didn't hurt her back so much. The stone floor prevented her from getting comfortable at all, however, so she finally decided on a position that was a little less painful than all the others. She breathed a long and heavy sigh. She thought about Link and the others she was forced to leave behind, and tears began to form in her eyes again. Suddenly, she heard light footsteps coming from the long corridor that extended from the throne room. She turned her head, and saw a young girl walking towards her. The girl looked about her age, maybe younger. Zelda took note of her long, black hair and pale skin. The girl continued to get closer, until she stopped just a few feet in front of Zelda. She got down onto her knees then, and began to speak.

"Hello, Princess Zelda," she said, ever so formally. "I've always wanted to meet you, though I wish it was under better circumstances."

Zelda was very confused and she eyed the girl curiously. "Who are you?" she asked.

The girl looked at Zelda with eyes similar to Ilia's, though not as bright and cheerful. "My name is Lyn," she said. "I'm from the Kokiri tribe. I was brought here by Ganondorf's soldiers. I was looking for a goponga flower to help my sick mother, you see. But I guess I ventured too close..." Her voice trailed off a bit. "Now Ganondorf keeps me here, as a prisoner." she said distantly.

"What for?" Zelda looked at the girl, seeing how poor and malnourished she was.

Lyn took a deep breath. "He...he, uses me, Your Highness. In ways that are too indecent to talk about." Lyn bowed her head then, and shed a single tear. Zelda watched as the tear fell to the ground and stained the stone floor. _This poor girl has been through it all_, she thought. She reached out her hand then and took Lyn's own trembling hand in hers.

"You have endured great suffering, Lyn," she said softly, looking into Lyn's eyes. "You have gone through what no woman should have to." She stroked Lyn's palm gently.

Lyn's eyes watered still, but they seemed happier. "I've heard you are incredibly kind, Princess," she said. "Now I know what I've heard is true." Having said this, she smiled slightly, and looked down upon Zelda's round stomach. "Such beauty it is. Pregnancy, I mean," she said. "You are so very lucky, Your Highness. I can only dream of a thing such as this." Her eyes became sullen again. Zelda looked up at her and her expression seemed to ask why. Lyn answered her softly. "I am barren." Her eyes never left Zelda's stomach. "I guess right now it's a good thing, knowing I'll never have to bear Ganondorf's child. But what if I get out of here and go home to my village and decide to settle down. I could get married, but who would want to marry someone who cannot produce offspring?" Lyn's voice had become very quiet. "I'll never have the love of a man, or a child," she whispered.

Zelda felt absolutely terrible for this young, beautiful girl. Lyn was clearly very loving, but felt as though she had no love to give. It was for this reason, that Zelda asked her to come closer so she could place her arms around her. Lyn agreed to do so, melting into Zelda's warm embrace. Zelda's love flowed through her body like a swift-moving stream.

"You have a mother's touch," she told Zelda warmly. "Your baby will like that." She smiled then, truly happy for the moment.

"Lyn!" A loud, booming voice tore through the throne room. Ganondorf stood in the corridor, his arms folded across his chest angrily. Lyn and Zelda turned their attention to him, a look of fright on both their faces. "What did I tell you? You are not to speak to her!"

Lyn stood up quickly and brushed the dust off her knees. She walked over to him, and Zelda saw a different side of her. She approached him so calmly, it seemed as though she was not afraid of him at all, even though she indeed was. "She needs company to be happy," Lyn said. "And in order for the baby to be healthy, she needs to be happy!"

Ganondorf's face showed pure disgust, but he gave in to her anyway. "Alright, fine," he said, "You may speak with her, but only when I allow it!" he concluded. "Now go back to the dungeon!"

Lyn did as she was told, giving Zelda one last look as she walked away. Ganondorf muttered something to her as she passed him, but Zelda couldn't make out what he said. She watched Lyn with helpless eyes as she slowly made her way down the long corridor. Then she turned to look at Ganondorf, who was striding towards her. She scooted herself back against the wall, not wanting him to come any closer.

Ganondorf simply chuckled at her actions. He reached for her hand and grasped it tightly. Zelda let a small squeal escape from her mouth as he did this. Forcefully, he pulled her up off the floor. She wobbled a little, as she hadn't been on her feet for a while. Ganondorf ignored her unsteadiness and pushed her back against the wall. His hands were resting firmly on hers, and he moved in closer to her. He removed one of his hands, and a dark purple glow began to emit from it. He smiled wryly at Zelda, as he placed his hand hard against her stomach. Zelda shrieked from the pain that immediately followed. The dark magic felt like a million tiny needles piercing her body. Ganondorf closed his eyes then, and Zelda wondered if he knew about the Triforce's special power. He continued to move his hand all over her stomach, and he stopped when he reached a spot near Zelda's side. "I see something," he said. His hand lay still for a while, and he grinned widely. "It looks well-developed. Certainly strong and fit to rain destruction upon Hyrule!" he laughed.

Zelda used all her remaining strength to wrench her body away from him. His hand lifted away, and the pain vanished. She panted heavily as she tried to recover. She felt very lightheaded and in need of rest. She tried to speak, but the only word that came out of her mouth was one name. "Link..." she whispered.

"Link is not here and he never will be!" Ganondorf yelled. His voice became quiet then, and he pushed her down on the floor. She cried out with pain again, wondering how she wasn't going into labor with all this jostling. Ganondorf got down on his knees and grabbed her face in his hand. "Get used to living without him, Princess," he smiled viciously. "You don't have many moments left."


	21. Chapter 21

**Well guys, chapter 21 is here! There will be only one more chapter after this one! (tear :'( ) Well anyway I hope you all enjoy it! This one took me forever because I actually started writing it without even knowing what was gonna happen haha! I think it went well, though, and I hope you guys think so too! Follow, favorite and please review! Tell me if you cried, because I certainly did! :P See you all in the finale, chapter 22! :)**

Zelda's head drooped to her chest and she thought about sleeping. She closed her eyes, eased her mind, and willed sleep to come, but it was no use. She was tired, but her body rejected sleep. Instead, she just hung her head and pretended to sleep. There were a couple of guards in the room watching her, and she didn't want to look at them. The room was silent, except for the occasional cough from one of the guards. Zelda shifted her body awkwardly, and the chains clanged against the floor. The guards immediately looked in her direction, and ran towards her. They held sharp, pointed spears up to her neck.

"I wasn't going to try anything!" Zelda snapped angrily. "Go stand back where you were!"

The guards grimaced and did as they were told, and Zelda was surprised with how much authority she had, even here. She heaved a deep sigh and pulled her knees close to her. Putting her face in them, she began to weep silently. She thought of Link, and wondered if he was on his way to rescue her. Suddenly, she felt sharp pains spread throughout her back and stomach. She gasped a little at the pain, trying not to let the guards know what was going on. She moved her knees away and placed both hands on her stomach, clutching it tightly. _No_. she thought. _I can't have the baby now_! The pangs continued for a few minutes, then abruptly stopped. When they did not come again, Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. She deduced they must have been false contractions.

"Hey! You two!" A female voice broke the silence. Zelda looked in the direction of the voice, and saw Lyn standing in the corridor. "Ganondorf has requested your presence immediately."

The guards shuffled out of the room quickly. When they were gone, Lyn ran over to Zelda and sat down next to her. "How are you?" she asked, taking Zelda's hand.

"Not so great," Zelda answered her. She straightened her back, trying desperately to get comfortable. She groaned, and Lyn put a hand behind her back. She held Zelda upright, and the pain in her back vanished. Zelda looked at Lyn and smiled. "Thank you," she said. "It feels better already."

Lyn smiled back, holding Zelda's body close to hers. Then her smile disappeared, being replaced with a frown. "I wish you weren't here," she said sadly. "If I could have any wish in the world, that's what I would wish for. I'd wish for you and your baby to be safe." She rested her head against Zelda's shoulder, her long black hair falling all around her.

Zelda greatly admired Lyn's selflessness. "If only all people were like you, Lyn," she told her softly, running a hand through her hair. Zelda had been in Ganondorf's castle for two days now, and she and Lyn had learned almost everything about each other. Amidst all the sadness and chaos, they had become very close friends.

"I hope Link is coming," Lyn said suddenly. She tightened her hold on Zelda.

"I have no doubt in my mind that he is," Zelda said. Then she thought of an idea. "Lyn, when he does come to save me, I want you to come back to the castle with us. There's an orphanage in Castle Town that desperately needs someone to run it. The owner is very old and frail and won't be around much longer. I know how much you adore children, and I think it would be a great opportunity for you."

Lyn's face lit up with happiness. "Really?" she asked. "You think so?"

Zelda laughed a little. "I know so." They both just sat there smiling at each other.

"Lyn!" Ganondorf's loud voice penetrated the peace. "Did I give you permission to speak to her?" He stalked over to the two of them and thrust Lyn's hand out from behind Zelda, who immediately fell back against the wall and expressed her pain with a soft whimper. "You never learn, do you?" he snarled, lifting Lyn off the floor and holding her up with one hand. Then he threw her off to the side, and her head collided the wall. She sunk to the ground, stunned from the blow.

"Lyn!" Zelda screamed. Ganondorf simply laughed, then knelt down beside her. "I've grown rather impatient," he began, holding Zelda's face in his massive hand. She tried to pull her head away, but his grip was too strong. She decided to do the only thing she found sensible at the moment, and shot a glob of saliva onto his face. Ganondorf's expression became infuriated and he wiped the saliva from his eye. "That hardly seems like the right kind of behavior for a princess!" he sneered. "No matter, I've grown rather tired of you." He held up a vial of a glowing, purple liquid. "I made this myself last night. It's really a rather incredible concoction." He smiled wickedly. "The sooner we get this show on the road, the better. When you drink this, it will induce childbirth."

Zelda gasped. "I won't drink it!" she yelled.

"No? Well I'll just have to fix that then," Ganondorf laughed. He forced his hand upon her mouth and pried it open. Zelda fought him off the whole time, but was simply no match for his strength. He held the vial up to her mouth and forced the liquid inside. Once the vial was empty, he closed her mouth shut, forcing her to swallow. Eventually, she was unable to breath and she painfully moved the liquid down her throat. It tasted foul, and left a slimy film in her mouth. Ganondorf let go of her face, and she began to cough uncontrollably. He started to laugh again. "Within an hour the contractions should start." He slammed his hand upon her stomach, closed his eyes, and began looking for the baby. Zelda cried out again from the agonizing pain. "Ah yes," he mused. "The little brat is already in distress."

Suddenly, the large castle doors burst open. "Get away from her!" a voice called out.

Zelda stopped screaming when she heard the familiar voice, and her heart leaped inside her chest. "Link!" she cried, looking over Ganondorf's shoulder.

"Zelda!" Link rushed over to her. Ganondorf stood up and outstretched his hand, creating a wall of dark magic around them, blocking Link's way. "You may not come any closer, Link!" he shouted. "Your pathetic wife is under my watchful eyes." He laughed maniacally.

"Your eyes are anything but watchful!" Link retorted, drawing his sword. "Don't hurt her anymore!"

"What's done is done," Ganondorf chuckled. "And you can't do a thing about it!" With a quick motion of his hand, the magic wall disappeared, and he too, unsheathed his sword. "I defeated you at Ordon and I'll do it again!"

"Link," Zelda said weakly. Her breathing became faster and her heart rate rose rapidly. "Kill him."

Link looked at his wife pitifully, truly feeling for her. "This one's for you, honey!" he said, and raised his sword in the air. He struck Ganondorf once with his sword, and the large man stumbled back a little. After a few more sword strikes, Ganondorf realized Link's sword skills had greatly improved. Link noticed this too, and wasn't quite sure where the newfound power had come from.

"Alright, enough of this!" Ganondorf said angrily. "Let's see how you do against my magic!" Ganondorf formed a ball of dark magic in his hands and thrust it upon Link. Link raised his sword and deflected the ball with great precision, forcing it back towards Ganondorf. The ball hit him square in the chest, and he bellowed from the sting. He had begun to lose strength, but kept on. "I have one last weapon," he said huskily, pulling the Amulet of Obedience from his pocket.

"Link! No!" Zelda screamed. This was too much for her to bear.

"Be quiet, you!" Ganondorf spat in her direction. Meanwhile, Lyn was beginning to regain consciousness. She looked up to see the scene that had unfolded. Horrified, she pulled herself off the floor and began sprinting toward Ganondorf. He had grabbed Link's arm and the amulet was just inches from his head. Lyn dove right in between them and stood in front of Link.

"No!" she yelled. "You'll have to go through me first!"

Zelda couldn't quite believe what she seeing. "Lyn! What are you doing?" She struggled at the chains again hopelessly.

Ganondorf's eyes became playful and he merely chuckled at her bravery. "I'll have to go through you? Don't make me laugh!" He raised his arm that held the sword and, without hesitation, sliced Lyn across her stomach. She fell to the ground right in front of Zelda.

"Lyn!" Zelda's agonizing scream echoed throughout the throne room. She reached out and scooped Lyn's limp body up in her arms. The gash was deep and blood poured out of it, staining Zelda's white gown red.

"Link!" Lyn croaked, coughing up blood. "Your sword! Destroy the amulet!" Then she turned her head toward Zelda, holding a hand up to her face. Zelda took it and placed in against her cheek.

Link gave Lyn a wild look, not even knowing who she was. But he knew there was no time to lose. Ganondorf had become distracted by the scene, and Link took the opportunity and drove his sword into Ganondorf's side. Ganondorf cried out loudly, and fell to the floor, dropping the amulet. Once it landed on the ground, Link lifted his sword above his head, getting ready to smash it.

"No!" Ganondorf whispered faintly. "No!" he said again, louder. The Master Sword crashed down on top of the amulet, shattering it into a million pieces. Specks of light escaped into the air as the iridescent pieces disintegrated. With the amulet destroyed, Link made his way over to Ganondorf, still panting from his wound. "This isn't over, Link!" he growled. "You haven't seen the last of me!"

"I'm sorry, Ganondorf," Link said, "but I believe I have!" He raised his sword again and plunged it straight into Ganondorf's heart. The King of Evil let out one last, hideous scream, and his head fell back onto the floor. Link sighed deeply, taking a step back from him. Ganondorf's body dissolved into a black smoke, disappearing from sight. Link smiled to himself, then looked over at Zelda, who still held Lyn in her arms. "Oh no," he said, and rushed to her side.

"Oh Lyn!" Zelda cried, tears flowing down her face. "You can't die like this! You can't!" She squeezed Lyn's hand tightly, which still caressed her cheek.

"Zelda," Lyn spoke then, tears forming in her own eyes. "My wish came true. You're safe now." Her free hand moved to Zelda's stomach. "Both of you." She smiled and the color came back to her eyes. They were once again the most beautiful shade of green. Then she turned to face Link. "Please take care of her, Link," she said quietly. "She's the greatest friend I've ever had."

"Lyn," Link began. "I-I don't quite know how to thank you. You've paid the ultimate price."

Lyn smiled faintly at him. "It's all in a day's work." Then she turned her head to face Zelda again. "I'm afraid it's time for me to go now," she whispered.

Zelda cried harder than she ever had in her entire life. "I'll miss you," she said in between sobs. Then she placed her left hand on Lyn's cheek. The mark of the Triforce glowed brighter than the sun itself. "There," Zelda said softly. "Now you will go with peace in your heart."

Lyn's bright green orbs watered again. "Thank you," she whispered, then closed her eyes. Zelda felt the life leave her as her breathing slowed and finally ceased.

"Goodbye, Lyn," Zelda sniffled, stroking her dear friend's cheek. Then she looked up at Link. "I want to bury her."

Link nodded his head and motioned for Zelda to move away so he could break the chains with his sword. Once she was free, he helped her up. Then he picked up Lyn's body and all three of them left Ganondorf's castle.


	22. Chapter 22

**Well guys, here it is. The final chapter of this story. I usually don't write two chapters in one day but I figured I'd just get it done being as I already knew how I wanted to end the story. I hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! It's all over now! *sigh* But don't worry! I'm planning to write a sequel in the near future! I just need to draft a few more ideas for the main plot. As I've already said, I hope you all enjoyed my first ever fanfiction! I hope it was worth your time and has made you laugh and cry at certain parts. Follow, favorite, and review! :)**

Link and Zelda arrived in the countryside of Hyrule, still at least a few hour's journey from the castle. Zelda held Lyn in her arms as she and Link travelled on Epona's back. Link came to the realization that he didn't have a shovel to dig a hole in the ground, so they had to improvise. As they rode through a quiet grove of trees, Zelda spotted a good-sized hole in the ground underneath a large oak. Link helped her dismount Epona and he carried Lyn over to the hole, gently setting her down in it. Zelda smiled. Her body fit perfectly inside it. Zelda found a large rock to cover the hole, and she asked Link to roll it over to the makeshift grave. Once the grave was sealed, Zelda knelt beside it and placed her hand upon the smooth rock. She used her magic to engrave an epitaph on it. The words she wrote were as follows:_ Here lies Lyn, a member of the Kokiri. She was a dear friend and loved with all her heart until the very end._ Zelda found herself with tears in her eyes again, and Link knelt down beside her. They each said a few words about the dearly departed and then got up to leave. Before they got back on Epona, Zelda saw a beautiful little daisy growing next to the tree. She picked it and laid it on top of the rock, knowing the tribute would not last.

"It's the thought that counts, Zel," Link told her, seeming to read her mind. He wrapped his strong arms around her. She leaned into his embrace and tilted her head up to kiss him.

"I'm so glad you came," she said softly, pressing her lips against his. He moved his hands up and down her back, kissing her with just as much enthusiasm. Their lips stayed locked for several seconds. Then Zelda pulled away suddenly, feeling an unpleasant sensation in her stomach. She looked down and reacted quickly, pressing her hands hard on her abdomen. She had completely forgotten about the mysterious purple liquid.

Link noticed her upset. "What's wrong?" he asked, a little panicked.

"Ganondorf made me drink a potion to induce labor," she answered him, beginning to breathe harder. "I think it's started."

Link's eyes went wide. "Oh goddesses!" he said, now truly panicking. "We need to get you back to the castle, and fast!" He lifted her up and set her on top of Epona, then he got on behind her. He held the reins with one hand. His other held Zelda so she wouldn't fall off.

"Link!" she cried amidst all the pain. "We'll never make it in time!" The contractions had grown fiercer and she was now screaming.

"Yes we will, Zelda!" Link shouted. "We'll make it!" He gave Epona a strong kick and she darted off, running as fast as she possibly could. "Faster, Epona!" Link commanded. Epona neighed back at him as if to say, "You idiot! This is as fast as I can go!"

"It hurts, Link!" Zelda gasped, gripping Link's arm tightly.

"I'm sorry, Zelda!" Link cried. He winced at the sound of her screams, wanting to make all her pain go away. "Please, Epona! Run faster!"

Epona neighed again, but this time, her legs began to move at an incredible pace. She galloped fiercely through the landscape, not slowing down for a second. Link was amazed at how fast she was going. "Good girl, Epona!" he said to his horse. "At this rate we'll make it back in no time!"

Epona continued to neigh. She seemed to be a little scared of how fast she was running, but she knew she had to keep going. Neither she or Link knew where this intense speed was coming from, but they didn't have time to question it. Within an hour, they arrived in Castle Town. Epona tore through the town, causing people to scream and run away. Zelda still screamed, loud enough for the entire town to hear. Her breathing was really fast now, and she had started to sweat like none other.

Impa and Ilia sat in the castle's library, each reading a book, when Impa first heard the screams. "Zelda?" Impa bolted up from her seat. "Oh my goodness!" She pulled Ilia off the floor. "Zelda and Link have returned!" She shook Ilia excitedly. "But it sounds like Zelda is in labor." Her excitement vanished and turned to shock.

"What should I do?" Ilia asked, alarmed.

"Go up to their bedroom and take the blankets off the bed," Impa told her. "Those sheets cost quite a few rupees and I don't want them ruined." Ilia did as she was told and ran out of the library, screaming "The baby's coming!" at the top of her lungs.

Link burst through the castle doors a few moments later, holding Zelda in his arms. Impa rushed to meet them. "Impa," Zelda squeaked. "It's coming."

Impa nodded her head swiftly. "I can tell," she said. Then she spoke to Link, whose face was as white as a ghost's. "Take her up to your room and lay her down. I'll join you up there in a moment. I need to gather a few things first."

Link obeyed her, rushing Zelda up the stairs to their room. When he got there, he saw Ilia standing by the bed, a pile of sheets was on the floor. "Impa told me to remove them," she answered the question he hadn't even asked. "She didn't want them to get ruined."

"Or course Impa would worry about something like that," Link said, then he gently laid Zelda on the bed. She immediately reached for his arm again, her nails digging into his skin. "Ouch!" he yelped.

"I'm sorry!" Zelda apologized. "The pain isn't as bad when I do this."

Hearing this fact, Link allowed her to claw his arm, trying to ignore the pain. He knew it wasn't nearly as bad as hers at the moment.

"Alright, I'm here!" Impa announced herself as she entered the room. She set down a box of medical supplies on the bed and put on a pair of rubber gloves. "Ilia, I need you to help Zelda sit up." Ilia stepped up to the bed and put her arms around Zelda, pulling her into a seated position. She grabbed a few pillows and placed them behind her back, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. "That's good, Ilia," Impa said. "Now Zelda, I need you to spread your legs apart." Zelda did as she was told. Impa moved her dress away, ignoring the fact that it was covered in blood. Ilia noticed it, however, and was a little nervous of how it got there, and whose it was. "Good news! You're fully dilated," Impa said. "All you have to do is give a few good, strong pushes and the baby will be out of there!"

Zelda took a deep breath and pushed hard, screaming in agony as she did so. She tightened her grip on Link's arm. "You can do it, sweetheart!" Link tried his best at encouraging her. He moved his hand over her forehead, wiping away the sweat that had formed there. Zelda shrieked again as she mustered another push.

"Keep going, Zelda!" Ilia trilled. "It's head is out!"

"Come on, Zelda! Just one more push and we'll have the shoulders out, too!" Impa explained.

Zelda used up all her remaining strength to usher out one final push. It hurt worse than all the others. She screamed so painfully, Link was afraid she would die. After she finished pushing, all the pain she felt immediately vanished, and she let her head fall back against the bed. She heard the beautiful cries of her baby, and she smiled up at Link.

"Good job, Zelda!" Impa rejoiced, holding the baby up so she could see. "You've given birth to a healthy baby girl!" Impa offered to let Link cut the umbilical cord, and he happily agreed do so, taking the scissor-like object from her hands. When it was cut, Impa handed the baby to Ilia and told her to clean her up with a towel. Once she had done that, she handed the baby back to Impa, who then placed the little bundle in Zelda's waiting arms.

Zelda grinned widely, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. "She's beautiful." Zelda was still breathing quite heavily. She turned to Link and offered for him to hold their newborn baby. Link extended his arms and carefully lifted the baby out of Zelda's embrace. The little girl began to cry immediately.

"Oh," Link said, bouncing the baby up and down lightly. "There's no need to cry, little one." He put a finger on the child's face and traced an indefinite shape on her cheek. He smiled warmly at her, and she stopped crying. "My little girl," Link said in awe. Tears formed in his eyes. "She's so perfect." After he held her for a while, he gave her back to Zelda.

"We'll leave the three of you alone for a while," Impa said smiling, and ushered Ilia out of the room in front of her.

Zelda started to sing a lullaby, and the little child soon fell asleep in her mother's arms. "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite as beautiful," Zelda said, smiling up at Link.

Link took a seat next to her on the bed. "Well," he began. "We planned a name for a boy, and it's a girl." He laughed. "What do you want to call her?"

Zelda didn't even have to think for a second. She knew immediately what she wanted to name her little daughter. "Lyn," she said softly. "I want to call her Lyn." She smiled down at the baby, who in turn, smiled back at her.

Link grinned and put his arm around his wife, kissing her cheek. "It's a lovely name to commemorate such a lovely person," he said. "I think it fits her very well."

Zelda held Lyn's face up to hers and she kissed her cheek ever so gently. "I've never been this happy," she said.

Link continued to hold her, vowing to never let anything pose a threat against his family ever again. "Me neither."

A few days had passed since the birth of the baby, and Zelda sat up in her room, rocking Lyn to sleep. She still sang the same lullaby, because it seemed to put her sleep no matter what. She moved her hand across Lyn's tiny face, smiling down at her. Lyn opened her eyes then, and Zelda saw for the first time what color they were. Sky blue, just like her own. She also noticed several blonde hairs sprouting up on her head. Zelda thought this was perfect. "She has my eyes and Link's hair," she said to herself.

"Zelda?" Link had entered the room. "It's time for dinner, honey."

"Just a moment," she responded. "The baby's almost asleep."

Link made his way over to her, looking down upon Lyn's precious face. When she saw her father, she smiled, and a small gurgle escaped from her mouth. Link began to laugh.

"Do you see Daddy?" Zelda asked her in a babyish voice. Then she smiled as little Lyn closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"She was a little unexpected," Link chuckled, "but she was definitely worth it." He smiled. Then a thought occurred to him. "Zelda," he said, kneeling down beside the rocking chair. "When I was fighting Ganondorf, it almost felt like I was being assisted somehow. Like someone was lending me their strength."

Zelda looked up at him. "Really?" she asked. Then she looked back down at Lyn.

"Yeah. And when Epona started to run that fast, it was like someone was giving her strength," Link continued. "Do you think it was her?" he asked, gesturing toward Lyn.

"It's possible," Zelda said. "It could be a special power she has. Something that comes with the Triforce of Auras." Zelda stroked her daughter's cheek. "The truth is, we have no idea what she can do yet. We'll have to find out as she gets older."

"I suppose," Link said. He stood up and offered his hand to Zelda. She took it and got up from the chair. She walked over to a little white crib that Link had built for Lyn, and gently placed her inside. She patted her head one last time before she turned around to leave the room. "Ready to go now?" Link asked, extending his arm.

Zelda glanced back at Lyn, sleeping peacefully in her crib. Then she turned to face Link. "Yes," she smiled, taking his arm. The two of them walked out of the room together. Zelda stopped at the door and turned to blow a kiss to her baby. "I won't be gone long, sweetie," she whispered. Then she grabbed the doorknob and quietly closed the door behind her.

They had only walked a few steps when Link stopped and turned to face his wife. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately. After several seconds, he pulled his face away and stroked her hair. "You're going to be a great mother to our child," he said softly, smiling at her.

"And I know you'll be a wonderful father," Zelda returned the compliment. He kissed her once more, then they resumed their walk down to the dining hall. As they walked, they both had one thing on their minds: Lyn.

**And that's a wrap! Please review telling me what you thought of my first story! As I said earlier, I am planning to do a sequel, but don't expect it right away haha! I'm gonna take a little break from writing now. Within the next month or so I will begin work on it. For now, I hope you liked this one and tell all your fellow Zelda geeks about it! Goodbye for now, guys! See you all in the sequel! :)**


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